Gunfire at bar kills man, wounds three

Jen Lawson

Friday, Nov. 21, 2003 | 9:43 a.m.

Gunfire outside a central Las Vegas bar left one man dead and sent three people to the hospital early this morning, and police had two people in custody in connection with the shooting.

Metro Police who were near Pepe's Tavern, 1729 E. Charleston Blvd., heard several shots about 5 a.m. and saw a black Chevrolet pickup truck speed away from the parking lot of the shopping center where the bar is located, Metro Lt. Tom Monahan said.

Officers chased the pickup truck and saw a gun thrown from the truck, Monahan said. Detectives believe it is the gun used in the shooting.

The truck pulled over for police at Lewis Avenue and Earl Street, near Charleston and Maryland Parkway, just blocks away from the shooting.

Two people in the truck were taken into custody and were being questioned this morning, Monahan said.

The shooting doesn't appear to be gang- or drug-related, he said.

"It's another case of too much testosterone and not enough common sense," Monahan said.

The officers found a man dead in the parking lot in front of the bar and another man and a woman who had also been injured in the shooting. A third man who was hurt in the gunfire apparently drove himself or was driven to the hospital.

Those three victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were bring treated at University Medical Center this morning, police said.