Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Children returned to home where police shooting occurred

Emmanuel Dozier

Emmanuel Dozier

Children removed from a Seven Hills residence where three police officers were shot Dec. 28 are back home pending the outcome of an abuse and neglect case against the mother.

The temporary placement was recommended in Family Court during hearings yesterday and today, said Vicki Greco, attorney for Belinda Saavedra. Meanwhile, she said, the state is preparing to file an objection to the placement, and a Jan. 20 trial has been set on the abuse and neglect accusations.

Despite the placement, Greco said, the children are still not allowed to be alone with their mother, and the children's grandmother has been staying with them.

The three children were originally ordered to be returned to Saavedra, pending her passage of a drug test and the certification of their Panorama Ridge Drive home as safe. Saavedra has passed the drug test, her lawyer said.

Greco said the abuse complaint stems from the fact that Saavedra did not have a job to support the children and should have known of the alleged activities of resident Emmanuel Dozier. Metro police raided the home on drug warrants, and Dozier is charged with three counts of attempted murder of a police officer and three counts of selling cocaine. He is being held at the Clark County Detention Center on more than $3 million bail.

In court documents, police say they obtained the warrant to search Emmanuel Dozier's home on Dec. 23, after an undercover Metro narcotics officer purchased cocaine from Dozier at the home on three separate occasions in December.

Because of Dozier's alleged arrest history in California, Metro classified the search warrant as high risk and dispatched the SWAT team to serve it about 10 p.m.

According to an arrest declaration filed in court, officers said the SWAT team members who approached the home repeatedly yelled, "Police! Search warrant!" However, according to the arrest declaration, Dozier later told police he thought his home was being invaded and did not mean to shoot any officers.

When there was no response, the officers began to forcefully open the door. Shots were fired from within the home and hit the three officers. The SWAT team retreated from the door and surrounded the home. Dozier surrendered a short time later.

Dave Clark can be reached at 990-2677 or [email protected].

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy