Monday, Feb. 2, 2004 | 10:43 a.m.
A 34-year-old man was in fair condition this morning after being shot by a Metro Police officer in an alley just east of the Wynn Las Vegas construction project Friday.
Officer Noe Larios, 27, told investigators that he shot Michael Allen Carlucci of Las Vegas because Carlucci had lunged at him with a "military-type combat knife."
Larios was patrolling an alley behind the Sugartree Apartments at 655 Sierra Vista Drive just south of Desert Inn Road at Swenson Street when he encountered Carlucci walking quickly away from a parked car.
When Larios checked the license plate, he determined that the car was registered to an 80-year-old man.
Metro Capt. Tom Lozich said it wasn't clear if the vehicle was stolen or if it belonged to one of Carlucci's friends or family members.
Carlucci ran from the front of the patrol car to the parked car and reached inside, retrieving and unsheathing a large knife, police said.
When Larios drew his weapon and shouted at Carlucci to drop the knife, Carlucci lunged at Larios, the officer told investigators.
Larios fired at Carlucci, striking him in the torso.
Carlucci was taken to University Medical Center Trauma Center.
Carlucci has been booked in absentia on a charge of attempted murder of a police officer, and upon his discharge from the hospital, he will be taken to the Clark County Detention Center, Lozich said.
Police found he also had warrants for two counts of writing bad checks.
Carlucci has a prior out-of-state conviction of assault with a deadly weapon, Lozich added.
Larios was hired by Metro in February 2001 and works as a patrol officer in the south-central area of the valley.
He will remain on routine paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation into the shooting, police said.
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