News briefs for May 25, 2005

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 | 11:14 a.m.

Four arrested in death at lake

Metro Police have arrested four people in connection with the shooting of a 44-year-old man found dead last week near Lake Mead.

This morning police arrested 24-year-old Deangelo Carroll in connection with the murder of Timothy Hadland.

Anabel Espindola, 33, and her brother Luis Hidalgo III, 24, were arrested Tuesday, and Kenneth J. Counts, 29, was arrested Saturday night after a two-hour standoff with SWAT officers near his home on E Street.

The arrests of Carroll, Espindola and Hidalgo came after authorities executed search warrants at the Palomino topless club in North Las Vegas and Simone's Auto Plaza in Las Vegas, police said.

According to the arrest report, the suspects met Hadland near Lake Mead the night of May 19. They allegedly told police that along the way they talked about killing Hadland, who works nights at the Palomino topless club.

They met Hadland along North Shore Road May 19 around 11:30 p.m. Police wrote in the report that as Hadland left his Kia Sportage and walked to meet the men, Counts exited the van, raised a revolver, and allegedly shot Hadland twice in the head.

Hadland was left along the road and found a short time later, his vehicle still running with the headlights on.

Police said they were able to trace events back to Counts in part through the call log on Hadland's cell phone.

Fire at school spurs evacuation

Gibson Junior High School was evacuated Tuesday morning because of a fire that apparently was intentionally set in a restroom, a Las Vegas Fire & Rescue spokesman said.

Firefighters called to the school about 10 a.m. found smoke coming from a hallway. Approximately 1,200 sixth, seventh, and eighth graders had already been evacuated from the school at 3900 W. Washington Ave.

No injuries and minimal damage was reported.

Man arrested in robbery, shooting

Metro Police arrested an 18-year-old man Tuesday in connection with a robbery and shooting Sunday at a foot massage parlor.

Manuel Anthony Velasco was taken into custody on charges of attempted murder, robbery, kidnapping, burglary and battery.

Police said he shot at Bing Ji at his business, Superior Foot Massage on Paradise Road near Sahara Avenue after Ji refused to give him a ring that was on his finger.

A bullet grazed Ji's shoulder, police said. He was not seriously injured.