Slain men in North Las Vegas were sought in drive-by killings

Keith Paul

Friday, Aug. 24, 2001 | 11:25 a.m.

Two 19-year-old men found slain Wednesday in a North Las Vegas neighborhood that has been gripped by gang violence were being sought by detectives in connection with a deadly drive-by shooting.

Detectives were looking for Ramond A. Bradford and Antonio C. Banks, who were suspects in a May 25 drive-by shooting that killed 35-year-old Gwendolyn Jones and injured four others.

"Detectives were writing (arrest) warrants just in case they couldn't locate them," said Sgt. Jim Neal of the detective bureau. "Detectives had the probable cause to arrest them as soon as they were found. If they hadn't been killed, they would have been arrested."

Instead, the two 19-year-old men, who police say were gang members, were found dead about 6:40 a.m. Wednesday in an area of town that has been the site of 13 gang-related slayings. The men were found dead in the 2300 block of West Cartier Avenue, near Carey Avenue and Martin Luther King Boulevard. One man was found in a yard by a fence, the other in a dirt lot across the street.

Four other suspects were located Wednesday and Thursday and booked on charges of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Arrested were Corey Johnson, 24, Anthony Hampton, 18, Joey Clark, 21, and Jamario Macklin, 16, Neal said. Macklin was being held in the Clark County juvenile detention center on other charges when he was booked on the murder charges.

All of the suspects are accused of planning or taking part in the drive-by shooting. In the shooting, a car, which was filled with men, drove by a home on West Avenue, near the intersection of Carey Avenue and Martin Luther King Boulevard, and fired into a group, which had gathered for a wake to mourn Jones' sister.

Unlike many gang-related shootings that occur when, by chance, two opposing gang members meet, police say the drive-by shooting was planned.

Detectives aren't sure whether the slayings of Bradford and Banks' were gang-related or were caused by something else. The pair were killed in an area of North Las Vegas that has had nine gang-related slayings since the beginning of the year. There also have been four gang-related slayings in Metro Police's jurisdiction, which borders the area around Martin Luther King Boulevard from Carey Avenue to Owens Avenue.

If it was gang related, police say, retaliation is likely.

"We are preparing for retaliation, but we are not anticipating it," said Lt. Chris Larotonda. "A reasonable and prudent person would prepare for that."

Detectives have no suspects in the most recent slaying and have gotten very little information. Residents, apparently fearing retaliation, have hesitated to come forward with information.