Gunfire hits house of former slaying suspect

Keith Paul

Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001 | 9:43 a.m.

A dozen gunshots were fired into the house of a reputed gang member after prosecutors dropped murder charges against him and three others in a drive-by shooting.

Joey Clark, 21, had only been out of Clark County jail for four or five hours when someone came up to his father's house in the area of Carey Avenue and Lamb Boulevard about 12:45 a.m. Wednesday.

The house was hit by three gunshots and the car in the driveway also was hit three times. Police found 12 bullet casings on the sidewalk to the side of the house, according to a Metro Police report. No one inside the home was injured.

Clark told police he believed the shooting was in retaliation for the May 25 killing of Gwendolyn Jones and the wounding of four others as the group was standing in a yard at a wake for Jones' sister.

"I'm kind of surprised it didn't happen to the other three," said Metro gang Detective Mike Game. "He said as soon as he heard the shots, he knew it was for him."

Clark has previously denied any involving in the Jones slaying, police said.

North Las Vegas Police arrested Clark, Corey Johnson, 24, Anthony Hampton, 18, and Jamario Macklin, 16, on Aug. 23 and Aug. 24, booking them on murder and other charges in connection with the May 25 slaying on West Street in North Las Vegas. Two additional suspects -- Ramond Bradford, 19, and Antonio Banks, 19, -- were found shot to death Aug. 22.

But Clark County prosecutors decided a week later that there wasn't enough evidence to file charges in the case and move forward to trial. The suspects were released over the next few days. Clark was released from the North Las Vegas jail Aug. 31, but he was taken to the Clark County jail on outstanding warrants.

Clark was released from the Clark County jail Sept. 4, then at 12:15 a.m. Sept. 5 the shots were fired into his house.

"It was anticipated that when these guys were released, they might become victims," said Lt. Art Redcay of the North Las Vegas Police. "There wasn't much we could do to prevent it."

Metro Police are investigating the shooting at Clark's house since it is in their jurisdiction, but so far no one has reported seeing anything. Clark said he looked out the window after the shooting stopped but didn't see who fired. He's suspecting it was gang members, police said.

Game said the shooting at Clark's house was likely just a message and not necessarily meant to actually injure or kill Clark since shots were just fired into the house and car.

"I'm sure there will be another attempt on Joey or the other three," he said. "We can't just sit on his house 24 hours a day, seven days a week and watch him."

Other gang-related killings this year have been more of instances in which one member of a gang is spotted outside and is gunned down by a rival gang member, rather than some elaborate plan, Game said.

Two warring gangs retaliating against each other are blamed for 16 homicides since the start of the year in the area of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Carey Avenue, which is in both Metro and North Las Vegas Police jurisdictions.

Jones was caught in the crossfire as some gang members were at the wake for her sister. There have been other innocent bystanders killed by bullets meant for gang members this year.

Police have had other cases come apart once arrests have been made because they are having trouble getting people to come forward as witnesses.

Residents have said they are fearful to talk to police because of the gang retaliation.

Redcay said detectives are still searching for a cooperating witness to the Jones slaying so the charges can be filed and move on to a trial.

Police have a witness who relays a story of the men driving by the wake in an effort to plan the drive-by shooting. A witness told police about the men talking about doing the shooting, Sgt. Jim Jackson has said.

"A witness saw the gun being brought to the area and then the gun being traded around. The car then went off around the corner and shots were fired," Jackson said after the charges were dropped.