Boy suspect in attempted murder

Monday, May 24, 2004 | 9:24 a.m.

Las Vegas Metro Police on Thursday arrested a 13-year-old boy on suspicion of attempted murder for the May 18 shooting of a neighbor, officers said Friday.

Officers say Mario Velasco, 13, had been arguing with the victim, 30-year-old Ramon Renteria, who lived in the Velasco's apartment complex in the 2800 block of Stewart Avenue. The boy then pulled out a gun and shot Renteria multiple times in the chest, said Lt. Lew Roberts.

Renteria was in serious condition Friday afternoon at University Medical Center and is expected to live, Roberts said.

An attempted murder charge for a 13-year-old is fairly rare, Roberts said, but was warranted in this case because of the shooting's proximity to Roy W. Martin Middle and Sunrise Acres Elementary schools. Both schools were locked down for most of the day, he said.

"We typically do not arrest kids that young for shootings," Roberts said. "It would be an abberation but what made this one more potentially harmful was that it was done in close proximity to one junior high and one elementary school."

Velasco was arrested after detectives served five search warrants looking for weapons and gang paraphernalia at homes near the scene of the shootings, Roberts said.

Detectives are also looking for another boy in connection with the shooting, 16-year-old Tim Monahan, who they say was with Velasco at the time of the shooting.

Both boys are believed to be members of the 28th Street gang, said Detective Eric Holyoak of Metro's gang unit.