Use-of-force board clears officer in shooting

Keith Paul

Thursday, Nov. 15, 2001 | 9:44 a.m.

Metro Police's use-of-force board unanimously ruled Wednesday night that an officer didn't violate department policy when he shot an armed, suspected robber in September.

"Evidence and the investigation determined the suspect did fire a round at the officer and the round did strike the (police car) door where the officer was sitting," Deputy Chief Ray Flynn said.

Officer Samuel Solorio, 24, shot 26-year-old Roy Philson once in the arm about 1:50 a.m. Sept. 6 after, police allege, Philson pointed a gun at the officer.

Philson is charged with robbing a Jack-In-The-Box restaurant in the 4300 block of Las Vegas Boulevard North near Nellis Boulevard. His wife, Tracey Philson, who was working at the restaurant at the time, faces charges of helping him.

Police said Solorio saw Roy Philson run from the store with a gun and that Philson fired a shot at Solorio as Solorio pursued him in his police car. The shot hit the driver's door, police said.

Solorio pinned Philson against a sign in the rear of the restaurant with the police car, and Philson then raised his gun, police said. Solorio fired a shot through the windshield, hitting Philson in the arm, police said.

Solorio was cleared last year by the use-of-force board in another shooting.

On March 18, 2000, Solorio and Officer Michael Maloof shot 18-year-old Roy Palmer several times after spotting him at an apartment complex with a gun.

Palmer was shot in the chest, right thigh, calf and foot after, police say, he didn't follow orders to put the gun down. He survived his wounds.