Cop shot six times; suspect is killed

Friday, Dec. 13, 2002 | 11:09 a.m.

A Metro Police patrol officer was shot six times after a routine traffic stop in eastern Las Vegas Thursday night, and police shot and killed the suspect about an hour later after a massive manhunt.

The patrol officer, who was shot in the hand, knee and shoulder, was taken to University Medical Center's Trauma Center and underwent surgery. A UMC nursing supervisor said the officer was in critical condition this morning.

Police were still investigating the shooting this morning and did not immediately release either the officer's or the suspect's name.

Metro Capt. Dennis Cobb said the incident started about 10:15 p.m. when a patrol officer tried to stop a black sport utility vehicle driving near the intersection of 27th Street and Stewart Avenue.

The driver didn't stop, and instead sped off before crashing his vehicle near 28th Street and Marlin Avenue.

The suspect jumped out of his vehicle and ran into a nearby apartment. The officer chased him, police said.

Inside the apartment, police say, the suspect turned on the officer and fired several shots at him with a handgun. The officer was shot, but managed to fire back at the suspect. Police believe the officer's bullets hit the suspect.

It was not immediately clear how many times the officer was shot.

The suspect fled on foot, running west through an alley. He hid in a vacant apartment in the 2600 block of Marlin Avenue, police said.

While paramedics worked on the wounded officer, Metro's bike patrol, detectives and SWAT teams fanned out throughout the neighborhood of cinder-block duplexes and apartment buildings looking for the suspect. Police dogs searched the area. The police helicopter circled overhead.

SWAT officers found a man who fit the description of the suspect -- a Hispanic male in his 20s -- about an hour after the shooting, hiding in an air conditioning duct.

The suspect leveled his weapon at officers, police said. Three officers shot at the suspect and killed him.

Officers were still investigating the area bounded by Sunrise Avenue, 28th Street, U.S. 95 and Eastern Avenue into the early hours this morning.

"We are going to do a very thorough and very meticulous investigation," Homicide Lt. Tom Monahan said.

The name of the Metro officer who was shot will be withheld for 48 hours according to departmental policy.

The suspect had not been identified. The Clark County Coroner's Office was investigating.

The shooting occurred after a daylong crime crackdown on Fremont Street in which Metro officers arrested more than 40 people for alleged offenses such as prostitution and drug abuse in an effort to make downtown safer. Officers said the shooting was not part of the crackdown.

Civil libertarians said the crackdown created more of a police state than a safe environment.

Sun reporter

Jen Lawson contributed to this story.