Killing of popular man saddens NLV neighborhood

Friday, Feb. 18, 2005 | 9:19 a.m.

A 54-year-old man whom Lawry Street residents called the "neighborhood babysitter" was shot and killed Thursday night in North Las Vegas.

Police have not made any arrests, Officer Tim Bedwell, North Las Vegas Police spokesman, said.

Neighbors called police about 7:45 p.m. and the man's body was found on the sidewalk in front of a house at the 2000 block of Lawry, near Lake Mead Boulevard and Comstock Street, Bedwell said.

The man was shot at least once in the head, he said.

"The neighborhood was really trying to overcome gang violence," Bedwell said, although police did not know Thursday night if the shooting involved gang activity.

It was the fourth homicide North Las Vegas Police have investigated this year, Bedwell said.

The coroner's office did not release the victim's name this morning, but neighbors said the man was Ronnie Jones, but they called him "Horse."

All day long he strolled up and down the street making sure small children could play basketball safely and warning them when traffic picked up in front of the single-family homes.

"I grew up with him," Trish Irving said. "Nobody was out on the street tonight, but we heard a shot, just one."

Jones had told neighbors that he spoke to one of his daughters earlier on Thursday.

"He told her he loved her," Irving said.

Neighbors gathered in small groups, watching as the police worked.

One man shook his head and wiped away tears streaming down his cheeks.

"He used to watch us play basketball," 10-year-old Kentrell Irving said.

"I miss him," said 12-year-old Kendra Irving.

"He was nice," Kentrell said.

The neighbors had celebrated Jones' birthday on Feb. 4, when he turned 54.

Chandra Washington has three little boys, ages 2 through 16.

"He watched all the kids for us," Washington said.

"He was the neighborhood babysitter, the neighborhood watch," she said.