Inquest jury rules officer justified in shooting

Monday, June 4, 2001 | 11:16 a.m.

A Clark County coroner's inquest jury ruled Friday that a Metro Police officer was justified when he shot and killed a man who fired a shotgun blast at the officer.

Officer Keith Borders, 34, was one of several officers who responded to a domestic dispute call that turned into a brief standoff at 5820 W. Desert Inn Road near Jones Boulevard April 28 about 8:30 p.m.

Donald Charles Mettinger, 49, fired a shotgun blast at Borders, who was hit in the head with several pellets. Borders returned fire, killing Mettinger. Borders was treated and released from University Medical Center.

A woman called police from the Desert Inn Road house about a family dispute with Mettinger and said that the man was drunk. While the woman was speaking, the phone went dead. A man called from the house a short time later and made threats aimed at any officer who came to the house, police said.

Officers went to the home and found a man in the back yard. Police said the man started shooting at them, then went back inside the house. The woman was able to escape from the house through a door that opened into the garage and ran to Borders, police said.

Mettinger exited the house armed with a shotgun and two handguns and fired the shotgun blast. Borders then shot back and killed the man.

Borders was on administrative leave with pay after the shooting but was returned to duty after the inquest outcome.