Shot through windshield disarms robbery suspect

Keith Paul

Thursday, Sept. 6, 2001 | 11:46 a.m.

A Metro Police officer fired a gunshot through the windshield of his patrol car early this morning, hitting a robbery suspect in the arm, causing the man to drop his gun.

The officer had used his patrol car to pin 26-year-old Roy Philson against a sign. Philson raised his gun, police said, and the officer fired at least one shot.

Philson was treated at University Medical Center for a gunshot wound in the upper arm, then booked into the Clark County jail on charges of kidnapping, robbery, burglary and attempted murder of a police officer.

Philson's wife, Tracey Philson, was working at the Jack-in-the-Box restaurant at the time of the robbery. After her husband was shot and arrested, Tracey Philson admitted she and her husband planned the robbery, police said.

Tracey Philson was booked into the jail on conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, burglary, kidnapping and attempted murder of a police officer charges.

Officers were called to the restaurant in the 4300 block of Las Vegas Boulevard North near Nellis Boulevard about 1:50 a.m. today for a robbery in progress.

The officer driving a police car saw a gunman running out of the back of the restaurant and used his police car to chase the man, police said.

The man is accused of firing at least one shot while running from the officer's patrol car, hitting the driver's side door.

The name of the officer who fire the shots will not be released for two days, following Metro's policy. The officer was put on routine administrative leave with pay.