Officer shoots suspected carjacker

Monday, July 7, 2003 | 11:09 a.m.

A man police believe was trying to carjack a motorist was killed early Sunday morning when a Metro Police K-9 officer shot him at Fourth Street and Bridger Avenue, Capt. Tom Lozich said.

Damien W. Morton, 22, of Denver died about 9:40 a.m. Sunday, according to the Clark County Coroner's Office.

The officer, who was been placed on administrative leave, was driving near Charleston and Las Vegas Boulevard South when he noticed a car driving on the wrong side of the street, police said.

Police said Morton failed to stop for the officer, who pursued the car to Third Street and Bridger Avenue, where a man left the car and fled on foot, police said.

Morton unsuccessfully tried to carjack a motorist sitting at a stoplight at Third and Bridger, but the driver sped away, police said.

A second car drove up to the intersection and the suspect ran to the driver's door and began banging on it, police said. The officer believed Morton was again attempting a carjacking and fired his weapon, police said.

The officer then realized that the car was the same one he had been pursuing earlier -- a car that police said was then being driven by the man's girlfriend.

The car sped off with Morton inside, police said. The man was taken to Lake Mead Hospital and transferred to University Medical Center's Trauma Unit, where he died, police said.

The officer, whose name is being withheld for 48 hours, has been placed on routine leave with pay, according to Metro policy.