Motorist in NLV shot, killed

Jen Lawson

Monday, July 7, 2003 | 11:14 a.m.

A 19-year-old motorist was shot in the head and killed early this morning as he drove near Cheyenne Avenue and Civic Center Drive in North Las Vegas, police said.

A passenger, an 18-year-old man, was shot once in the lower abdomen. He was being treated at University Medical Center.

This was the fourth homicide in North Las Vegas in eight days.

Officer Justin Roberts, spokesman for the department, said the 19-year-old man, whose name was being withheld until his family could be notified, was driving a maroon and gray Chevrolet Suburban in the 2500 block of St. George Street when a gunman fired shots into the vehicle about 1:30 a.m.

The vehicle drifted across the road and hit another car, but neither vehicle sustained much damage, Roberts said. After he was shot, the passenger got out of the car.

"He ended up at the driver's side door," Roberts said. "He went to check on the driver and sat down until police arrived."

No evidence at the scene indicated that the shooting was drug-related, but police haven't ruled it out, Roberts said.

No arrests have been made.

A double shooting happened in North Las Vegas almost exactly a week before this one.

Mathew Carter, 23, and Kenneth Banks, 25, both of Las Vegas were shot and killed in the Hayden Point apartment complex at 2125 Las Vegas Boulevard North. Police said the shooting was gang-related.

On Wednesday the body of woman was found in the desert off Deer Springs Way. She had gunshot wounds, Roberts said. Her identity has not been released.

Monday's shooting was the 14th homicide in North Las Vegas this year.