An officer-involved shooting took place Friday in the area of Cambridge Street and Twain Avenue.
Published Friday, Nov. 2, 2012 | 8:54 a.m.
Updated Friday, Nov. 2, 2012 | 11:50 a.m.
Officer-involved shooting
A man who was being evicted from his Las Vegas apartment Friday morning is dead, shot by police after a series of events that included him grabbing a bystander as a hostage and holding knives to the woman’s throat, authorities reported.
Metro Police Deputy Chief Kathleen O’Connor said the incident began about 7:30 a.m. at the Siegel Suites, 3825 Cambridge St. The manager of the complex, who was attempting to evict the man, called police after the tenant threatened to take hostages if the manager went through with the eviction.
O’Connor relayed this account of what then happened:
When a Metro Police unit already in the area for a community policing event arrived within moments, the tenant took off down Cambridge with the two officers in pursuit. About a half block from the Siegel Suites, the tenant came upon an elderly bystander, grabbed her and held two knives to her throat.
The two responding officers tried to engage the tenant, including giving him commands to drop his weapons and let the woman go free. The commands fell on deaf ears.
Feeling the woman’s life was in danger, officers shot the tenant.
He was transported to Sunrise Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The woman who was held at knifepoint was shaken but not injured.
Friday morning’s incident was Metro’s second officer-involved shooting this week and the fourth this year that resulted in a death. There have been eight officer-involved shootings in Metro’s jurisdiction this year, down from 17 in 2011, 12 of which were fatal.
On Monday afternoon, Metro Police fired on a man behind the Ross Dress for Less store at 2420 E. Desert Inn Road.
The officers discovered Ronald James Morrison, 52, in the back alley. They were pursuing Morrison, who was suspected of shooting a homeless man in the hand in front of the store.
Police shot and killed Morrison after he pulled a gun from his waistband, police said.








LVMPolice officer: Put down your gun
Pedestrian: It's a bagel with locks...
BAM BAM!!!!
LVMPolice Officer: I thought it was a gun!!! Oops
So, AshleyAshley, if you were being held hostage you would want the police to do what, invite your captor to brunch?
Thanks again Metro for saving us taxpayers the cost of a trial and lodging.
Tough neghibor hood, you have to carry a gun just to walk to 7/11. you get shot by cops, your lucky.
As the officer explains it "We pulled up and shot the suspect numerous times and then we noticed he had a knife" Also we were pretty sure he lunged at us as well.
LVMPolice Officer: Put down your gun.
Pedestrian: Yes sir, and immediately places item in his/her hands on the ground, as he/she always follows an order issued by an Officer. Pedestrian does not start a debate about what the item really is.
The Officer now plainly sees the item is a bagel with lox (locks?) and there is no "BAM BAM!!!!" Nobody is harmed and there is no story to report.
Good job...
Thanks Metro officers for helping keep the community safe.
how is the federal investigation regarding officer involved shootings going???
man o man...
i have never lived in a town where the cops kill so many people...
and i have lived in big cities...
this is simply amazing...
now...
this may have been justified...
but...
when you consider this issue in totality...
there is a problem...
so i ask...
how is the federal investigation regarding officer involved shootings going???
One of the roughest areas in the United States, according to crime survey's. Thanks metro, great work saving a life !
"i have never lived in a town where the cops kill so many people..."
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Vegas is a different animal. I don't care what big city you've lived in. There's more just outright scum per sq. mile here than anywhere else in the world. I've been to the South Bronx, Chicago, homeless alley in LA....you've got more scumbags here than anywhere else.
Not sure if it's the prostitution, the gambling, the lure, the excitement. Bar none, parts of this city need to be walled in. I applaud the cops. Tough, tough job here.
Conor, ahem, what IF the tenant was DEAF? Could you not write "fell on seemingly deaf..." or something?
Metro shoots more people before 8am then most people do all day....This is one heck of a city to police and instead of bashing our cops, maybe we should support them. Great work Metro!
Good job LVMP, i feel safer knowing you are protecting me. Thugs and Knuckleheads BEWARE!
Jaun Sanchez,
Can you produce a link or any info back up that "roughest area in the United States" comment?
I would be very interested in seeing anything that states that.
Next to where there was another fatal shooting a couple of weeks back. Lotta drugs, hopeless people, homeless people, gang bangers and wannabee's.
Add to the pot a few disabled schizos and crazies along with their hanger-ons, you have a recipe for bad happenings.
Whomever the hostage was, well, she has my sympathy. That's a pretty traumatic event. I hope she gets whatever help she needs to get over the event and be able to walk the streets without fear.
"Next to where there was another fatal shooting a couple of weeks back. Lotta drugs, hopeless people, homeless people, gang bangers and wannabee's.
Add to the pot a few disabled schizos and crazies along with their hanger-ons, you have a recipe for bad happenings."
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Yet there's a contingent in this town who think the cops are dealing with Otis from The Andy Griffith Show. "Please, please pretty please take the knife off the lady's neck"...
Aye yi yi.
AshleyAshley - What if it was you with a knife at your throat by an apparent lunatic? Would you want the police to take the wait and see attitude?
Judged by your words you might deserve it.
This is like William Tell; takes a very good shot to miss the victim and only get the perp.
I have been following all of the police involved shootings in LV over the past several years and I only know what has been reported in the paper just as most of you. The one single theme that seems to repeat itself time and time again is that the recipient of force used against them failed, for whatever reason, to follow the directions of the police, show me your hands, put down the weapon - you get the idea. Now some of you can say the that the suspect did not have to comply because in their mind they had done nothing wrong, or they were jacked up on alcohol and/or drugs, or they were so wound up in their drama that they just made a decision to totally disregard the police. When the police show up, the fun stops and you LISTEN AND COMPLY with what the officer is saying until the situation gets sorted out. Officers are not cannon fodder for the bad guy. By that I mean officers have to protect themselves first before they can protect citizens. An officer does not need to be shot, stabbed or clubbed before defensive action protecting his life or yours can be taken. Clark County seems to draw, for whatever reason, weather, 24 hour lifestyle, tourism, a lot of criminals, the homeless and those with mental illness and the police are expected to deal with all of these. It is my bet that most of the posters on here have never been a police officer and do not have the skills, knowledge, and ability to be one. Try being called to a dark alley where you know an armed suspect is located. Then as you are standing at the mouth of the alley being silhouetted by the street light behind you, you get fired upon by the suspect. How many of you pursue the suspect? I bet few to none. It is quite easy to take pot shots anonymously at the police from a newspaper comments page. Those of you who constantly deride the police should be ashamed. If you can do a more adequate job please make your way to LVMPD recruiting. My bet is you will prefer to sit safely in your home and let others take the risk for you.
LVMPD they did the right thing!
Good work, Metro!
Whether the tenant was deaf or not, taking a hostage with knives at her throat is unacceptable in any society. When Metro made the decision that the woman's life was in danger, they made the correct call.
And the moral of the story is:
Do not come to a gunfight armed with a knife.
Another scumbag gone!!! Great job Metro! Keep up the good work. Continue to clean up our streets!
@BRASS - I commented on this article when it was a two paragraph write up. The story has been updated to include a photo and far more information.
I'd love to see the statistics for LV and greater LV on officer related shootings in the last decade, then compare it to other major cities in the US. It seems we have a problem here, but do we? Maybe living in this kind of wild west police state is normal?
An interesting article if the sun wanted to take it upon themselves to investigate.