Metro Police officers involved in third shooting in a week

By Brian Nordli

Published Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012 | 12:25 p.m.

Updated Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012 | 5:57 p.m.

Metro Police officers on Saturday were involved in their third shooting in one week.

Police officials said the shooting occurred about 9:30 p.m. at Town & Country Manor III apartments, 5390 Boulder Highway.

According to Las Vegas Sun news partner KSNV MyNews3, a man had been trying to hijack a car by shooting into the occupied vehicle. Metro Police officers arrived and shot and wounded the man.

The man was taken to Sunrise Hospital, where he is in stable condition.

Metro Police were also involved in shootings Monday and Friday.

Police on Saturday released the identity of the two officers who shot and killed a man who had held a bystander hostage with a knife at her throat Friday.

Police officers Russell Ellsworth and Brandon Oris were placed on routine paid administrative leave while Metro Police investigate the incident.

The officers responded to a call from the Siegel Suites at 3825 Cambridge St. Officials said the manager had been trying to evict a man, who threatened to take hostages if the manager went through with the eviction.

Officials said that when Ellsworth and Oris arrived, the tenant took off down Cambridge Street and grabbed a woman and held a knife at her throat. The officers commanded the man to drop the weapon and release the woman. When he ignored them, the officers shot him.

Ellsworth, 28, has worked for Metro Police since March 2008. Oris, 29, has worked for Metro Police since August 2008.

On Monday, Ronald James Morrison, 52, was shot dead in an alley outside a retail store at 2420 E. Desert Inn Road after pulling a gun from his waistband.

Morrison was suspected of shooting a homeless man in the hand outside the store.

CORRECTION: MyNews3 is reporting that there was not an exchange of gunfire with the carjacking suspect. | (November 4, 2012)