Man kills self after shooting ex-wife

Jen Lawson

Thursday, Oct. 28, 2004 | 11:06 a.m.

A man shot his ex-wife at a northwest Las Vegas Wal-Mart this morning before shooting and killing himself in her vehicle in the parking lot, Metro Police said.

Officer Jose Montoya, police spokesman, said the man put on a mask, hid in his ex-wife's sport utility vehicle and then opened fire on her and her male companion after she shopped at the store.

Police were called to the store on Rainbow Boulevard near Smoke Ranch Road just before 3:30 a.m. and found the woman still alive on the ground at the entrance, Montoya said.

Her ex-husband had been stalking her, police allege, and she had asked a man to meet her at Wal-Mart so she could buy something she needed, thinking her ex-husband would not be following her at that hour.

After shopping, she went to her sport utility vehicle and lifted the back hatch. Her ex-husband, wearing a mask, was hiding in the vehicle, Montoya said.

He fired several times, hitting her at least twice, police said. He also fired at the woman's friend but he was not hit.

The woman ran toward the Wal-Mart where she collapsed at the entrance, Montoya said. Her ex-husband ran up to her and shot her another time, then went back to her SUV where he shot himself, Montoya said.

The woman was in serious condition at University Medical Center this morning but was expected to survive, Montoya said.

Her name and the name of the dead man had not been released by police this morning.