Teen suspected in dad’s shooting arrested at game

Will Oremus

Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2003 | 11:09 a.m.

The 16-year-old who allegedly shot his father three times in their North Las Vegas front yard was arrested Friday night while trying to get into a football game at Basic High School in Henderson.

Morrison George, 16, is charged with attempted murder in connection with the Thursday morning shooting in front of his home in the 3400 block of Colton Avenue, near Cheyenne Avenue and Simmons Street. George's father remained in critical condition Monday at University Medical Center, authorities said.

The family's neighbors said Monday that they felt safer now that George is in custody. He had been considered armed and dangerous. He was arrested Friday night after trying to jump over a fence at Basic High School.

He ran from police but they chased him down. Officers realized George was a fugitive wanted in connection with the shooting and called North Las Vegas Police, Officer Justin Roberts, spokesman for North Las Vegas Police, said.

Neighbors said George and his family had moved onto their block recently, and some people living on his street felt the shooting was an isolated incident and not any indication of a growing crime problem.

"What happened, just happened amongst these people that it happened with," said neighbor Lamont Rose. "There ain't been no violence on this street."

But others believe that their once-quiet neighborhood is no longer sheltered from crime and violence.

"It looks like it's not safe anymore, not peaceful anymore," said a neighbor who would not give her name. "We used to forget and leave our door unlocked sometimes. We can't do that anymore."

The woman said this was the first shooting she was aware of on her street, but added that her car had been stolen recently, and she now fears for the safety of her teenage children. She has plans to move out of the neighborhood soon.

Tina Rattezzi, another neighbor, said she and her husband have also considered leaving.

"I definitely feel safer now that the kid's been caught," Rattezzi said. "But it's like it's starting to be a problem."

As new apartments and houses are developed in the neighborhood, Rattezzi said she has seen more evidence of vandalism and gang activity. She said she has talked to new residents who moved in to escape the violence of their previous neighborhoods, only to find that the violence is migrating, too.

Rattezzi said she occasionally heard what sounded like disputes coming from the George household, but they may have just been "talking loudly."

"I feel bad for his parents," she said. "Nobody intentionally raises their child to grow up to shoot them."