9-year-old boy killed in shooting at park

Jace Radke

Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2001 | 10:10 a.m.

When 14-year-old Charlene Lien heard gunshots outside her home Tuesday night she ran outside fearing for her 18-year-old brother, who had gone to the neighborhood park with a group of friends.

"My brother was OK, but then I saw that someone was carrying a small boy," Lien said. "Everyone was yelling, 'They shot little Hector.' "

Hector I. Perez was only 9 years old.

Metro Police were called to Maslow Park, 4900 Lana Drive, near Harmon Avenue and Nellis Boulevard, about 9:20 p.m. after neighbors reported hearing gunfire, Lt. Wayne Petersen said.

About 15 children and teenagers ranging in age from 2 to 19 were hanging out in the park when gunshots were fired from a Dodge Neon driving through the parking lot, police said.

"The group of people was apparently relaxing at the park when the car made a pass through the parking lot," Petersen said. "As it came through the lot again, several shots were fired and the people in the park scattered."

Hector was shot once in the chest and was taken to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving, police said.

Neighbors said they heard about five shots, and Lein said that the scene where the boy was shot -- behind a baseball field backstop near a set of bleachers -- was horrible.

"Everyone was just hysterical," Lein said. "I saw that Hector had been shot in the chest, and my brother and father tried to give him mouth-to-mouth."

Police say that the victim's 17-year-old sister, 19-year-old brother and 2-year-old brother were in the park at the time of the shooting.

"My mom and I took the sister to find her parents," Lein said.

Petersen said it appears that the victim's parents weren't home at the time of the shooting, but they were located soon after. The victim and his family live in the neighborhood near the park, Petersen said.

Police are looking for a newer model, dark purple or black Dodge Neon, Petersen said. The car had four doors, and dark-tinted windows.

Anyone with any information about this shooting can call police at 229-3521 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.