NLV advised to pay settlement to man shot by police officer

Keith Paul

Tuesday, July 31, 2001 | 9:43 a.m.

The North Las Vegas City Council is being advised by the city attorney to pay $500,000 to a man shot by a SWAT officer last year to avoid a possible larger payout if the case went to trial.

The City Council is scheduled to vote on the settlement to Celso Paz Lopez at its meeting Wednesday.

Lopez was shot on March 11, 2000, by then North Las Vegas Officer Dave Acosta in the 2600 block of Soledad Way. At the time of the shooting, police released a statement saying Acosta said he fired his 9mm submachine gun after Paz Lopez grabbed the gun.

Lopez's attorney has said his client was on the ground complying with the officer's orders when he was shot in the hip and buttock.

"The city attorney's staff is recommending the council approve the settlement because of a much larger jury verdict if we were to go to trial," said Brenda Johnson, a city spokeswoman.

Lopez never filed a lawsuit, but his attorney had contacted the city about discussing settling the matter, she said.

The city and the police do not admit any wrongdoing in the settlement, Johnson said.

Lopez' attorney, Justin Clouser, was out of town this morning and not available for comment.

However, in a previous interview on the shooting, Clouser said Lopez claims he was on the ground with his hands behind his back and then felt a sharp pain in his hip and buttock.

Lopez was one of three men who police said came out of a house after officers arrived in response to telephone calls about shots being fired. According to a police news release at the time, Lopez refused to comply with officers' requests.

On May 12, 2000, before Chief Joey Tillmon announced whether any discipline would be imposed, Acosta resigned from the department. Police would not release any information from the use-of-force board inquiry or the internal investigation, saying they had been directed by City Attorney Sean McGowan not to comment.

McGowan could not be reached for comment this morning. He has previously stated the internal investigation and the use-of-force board findings were personnel issues. Acosta at the time said he did not resign because of the shooting but was planning on leaving the department in 2000.