Force board says shootings justified

Keith Paul

Friday, May 31, 2002 | 9:53 a.m.

Metro Police's Use of Force Board ruled Thursday night that three officers in two separate cases did not violate the department's guidelines in shooting two suspects.

The board voted unanimously that SWAT Officer Mark Mills, 43, was within department use of force policy when he shot Enrique Flores, 22, on March 18 during a search warrant at a home on Statz Street near Lake Mead Boulevard, Deputy Chief Ray Flynn said.

SWAT officers were serving a search warrant on the home for narcotics detectives. Flores is accused of pointing a handgun at the officers. Mills fired one shot, hitting Flores in the leg. Flores survived the wound.

The board also unanimously cleared Officers Chance McClish, 26, and Jason Cunningham, 31, in the March 30 shooting of Cesar Nunez, 31, in the area of Oakey Boulevard at Las Vegas Boulevard South.

The officers were called to the area on the report that a man had a gun, and Nunez was pointed out as a man reported with a gun. When the officers approached him, Nunez is accused of pulling a handgun out of his waistband, police said.

Police said the officers ordered Nunez to put the gun down and fired when Nunez allegedly raised the gun up. Nunez survived the gunshot wounds.

The Use of Force Board reviews officers' actions when someone is killed or seriously hurt by an officer or whenever an officer fires a gun.