New leads surface in shooting death of 9-year-old boy in park

Jace Radke

Thursday, Oct. 11, 2001 | 9:18 a.m.

Metro Police are pursuing new leads provided by the public in the investigation into the slaying of a 9-year-old boy Tuesday night.

"It's encouraging that people have called in with new information," Metro homicide Lt. Wayne Petersen said. "It's a little premature to comment on the information, but we are investigating.

"I think under the circumstances there is a certain amount of public outrage, and people want to help."

Hector I. Perez, 9, was fatally shot about 9:20 p.m. in Maslow Park, near Harmon Avenue and Nellis Boulevard.

Police say that someone in a Dodge Neon fired into a crowd of teenagers and children who were at the park.

It is unclear whether Perez was the intended target, but there are factors that lead investigators to believe that may not be the case.

"It's really impossible to know who was the target," Petersen said. "It looks like the suspect fired from about 60 or 70 yards away, and a small semiautomatic handgun at that distance is not very accurate. It's much more likely that the suspect sprayed into the crowd, and the 9-year-old was hit."

Neighbors reported hearing about five gunshots. Perez was shot once in the chest, and was taken to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival, police said.

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

Investigators are not ruling out the possibility that the shooting may have been gang-related, Petersen said.

Police are looking for a newer model, dark purple or black Dodge Neon, Petersen said. The car has 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.