Man shot, killed outside apartment

Jen Lawson

Monday, Dec. 1, 2003 | 11:07 a.m.

A Las Vegas man was ambushed outside of his apartment early today by gunmen who fired about a half-dozen shots and killed him, Metro Police said.

The shooting occurred about 2 a.m. in The Resort at the Lakes, a gated and guarded apartment complex at 9999 W. Katie Ave., near Hualapai Way and Twain Avenue, Metro Homicide Lt. Tom Monahan said.

As the man, believed to be in his 20s, had arrived home with his girlfriend or wife and another man, two men approached their car, Monahan said.

Shots were fired and some of the bullets hit the man. He was taken to University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, Monahan said. The people who were with the victim were not shot, he said.

Police were given conflicting accounts from witnesses on how the gunmen escaped, including one in which the attackers hopped over the wall that surrounds the complex. Monahan said there was a guard on duty at the apartment complex at the time of the shooting.

It's not clear if the victim knew the gunmen.

Police continued to talk with witnesses early today.

Don Gaffney, a two-year resident of the Resort at the Lakes complex, lives across from the apartment where the shooting occurred. He said he was awakened by the sound of gunshots and was surprised to see police converging upon his neighbor's apartment.

He said he couldn't think of a reason why anyone would want to shoot his neighbor, whom he called "a normal guy."

"He lived there with his wife and kids," Gaffney said. "His wife was pregnant and they just got a dog. He'd wave to us every day."

The apartment complex is upscale, he said, and crime isn't a problem. He added that even though the complex has a guarded gate, people can sneak in if they want to.

He doesn't see the shooting as a sign that crime is creeping into his complex; saying: "Someone planned it. It wasn't some random thing. He must have gotten somebody mad or something."

Authorities had not released the dead man's identity this morning.

Sun reporter

Ed Koch contributed to this story.