Bystander wounded as group subdues gunman

Jen Lawson

Tuesday, March 8, 2005 | 9:44 a.m.

An alleged gang member who was randomly shooting a gun into the air as he walked down the sidewalk turned the gun on bystanders after they yelled at him to stop, Metro Police said.

Jorge Peralta is being held this morning in the Clark County Detention Center on two counts of gang-related attempted murder. He was scheduled for a court hearing today.

The shooting occurred about 10 p.m. Thursday in the 1900 block of Alwill Street near Rancho and Vegas drives.

Thursday was Peralta's 22nd birthday, paperwork shows.

Through a Spanish interpreter employed by Metro, witnesses told police that Peralta was walking down Alwill and firing a handgun into the air and the witnesses were concerned that someone could get hurt, the arrest report says.

They told him to stop shooting, and Peralta became very angry and confronted them, cursing, police said. He yelled "18" a few times at the would-be victims and walked up to one of the men.

He placed the barrel of the gun to the forehead of a 22-year-old man and pulled the trigger, but the gun apparently jammed, police said.

As Peralta cleared the gun, the victim's 36-year-old brother ran towards them. Peralta turned and fired a shot at the brother, hitting him in the abdomen.

The other bystanders attacked Peralta, police said. The victims and bystanders managed to hold Peralta until police arrived, Sgt. Tony Aguillard said.

The shooting victim and Peralta were taken to University Medical Center's trauma center. The victim's injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, Aguillard said.

After Peralta was treated for his injuries he was taken into custody for two counts of attempted murder with a deadly weapon with a gang enhancement.