Henderson Police release names of 3 officers who fired at armed man

By Gregan Wingert

Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011 | 7:59 p.m.

Henderson Police have released the names of the three officers who fired at an armed man Monday outside a condominium.

Officers John Bellow, Kevin Perkins and Christopher Gerhardt fired at the man who refused to drop his weapon and instead pointed it at the officers, according to the arrest report.

The man, later identified as 53-year-old Tony McNeill, was taken to Sunrise Hospital to treat a gunshot wound to the chest, the report said.

Officers were responding to a call around 1:50 p.m. to the Country Hills condominiums at 698 South Racetrack Road, near Boulder Highway, according to police.

McNeill’s mother, Charlene McNeill, called police after she heard gunshots, according to the arrest report. She told police her son had a gun and was pointing it at himself, the report said.

When police arrived they stationed themselves at the entry gate of the complex, about 30 feet away from the front door of the residence McNeill shared with his parents, according to the arrest report.

At police dispatcher’s request Charlene, her husband and McNeill’s daughter were told to leave the house, the report said.

According to the report, Perkins said he saw the armed man come out of the condo holding a rifle pointed towards the ground.

Perkins then told the man to drop his weapon and surrender, according to the arrest report.

Bellow, Gerhardt and Perkins fired at the man when he raised the rifle and pointed towards the officers, the report said.

McNeill has been charged with three felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon and three felony counts of discharging a firearm at a structure, according to court records. He's scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 3, 2012.

Officers Bellow, who was hired in 1998; Perkins, in 2007; and Gerhardt, in 2008 will remain on routine on paid administrative leave during the investigation.