Man killed as detective returns fire

Keith Paul

Thursday, May 2, 2002 | 10:58 a.m.

A man was shot and killed by an undercover Metro Police detective Wednesday night after popping up from the bed of a pickup and firing a shotgun into the roof of the detective's unmarked police car.

A detective from the Repeat Offender Program, who was in his car on Oakey Boulevard between Eastern Avenue and Fremont Street during surveillance, turned his flashlight on the license plate of a car driving by that appeared suspicious, Deputy Chief Ray Flynn said.

The driver, apparently not knowing the person with the flashlight was a Metro detective, got out of his car and started swearing at the detective, Flynn said.

"The detective told him to mind his own business," Flynn said.

The driver left and the detective moved his car about a block away, where he continued to wait for a wanted suspect. A short time later a pickup drove slowly down the street.

The truck stopped beside the detective's car. A man, whom police suspect was the earlier driver, rose from the bed and fired a shotgun blast at the detective, Flynn said.

The detective, who was not hit, fired several shots at the gunman. The pickup driver drove the wounded man, Phillip Michael Ramos, to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

"I know this sounds strange, but thank God it was an officer in the car," Flynn said. "What if it wasn't an officer, but Joe Citizen sitting in the car?"

The pickup driver was being questioned by police late Wednesday, but had not been arrested.

Flynn said Metro's gang unit was familiar with Ramos. He did not elaborate.

The detective will remain on administrative leave with pay pending a Clark County coroner's inquest, which will decide if his actions were justified or criminal. The detective will also face a Use of Force Board that will determine if his actions were within department policy for deadly force.

The detective's name will not be released for 48 hours after the shooting per department policy.