Search of suspect’s home yields arsenal but no motive for Tuesday police shootout in Henderson

By Las Vegas Sun Staff (contact)

Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2013 | 6:22 p.m.

The 63-year-old killed Tuesday in a shootout with Henderson Police had an arsenal of more than 150 firearms in his house, but detectives' search of Edward J. Scheboth's house yielded no clues for a motive, authorities said.

In a news release issued this afternoon, police said detectives found dozens of handguns, shotguns and rifles Tuesday night and today after obtaining a search warrant to look through Scheboth's home.

Police still don't know what led Scheboth on Tuesday morning to fire his handgun on an officer sitting in a patrol car on Boulder Highway near College Avenue. Several shots hit the patrol car, shattering the rear driver’s side window. The officer was able to drive away while radioing that she was under fire.

Officers nearby got into two patrol cars and headed to assist the officer. As they approached, the suspect, who was walking across Boulder Highway, started firing at them and struck one of the other vehicles.

Three officers fired at Scheboth, who was struck and taken to Sunrise Hospital. He died later Tuesday morning. No officers were injured.

Police said Scheboth was armed with three handguns and also had a rifle in a saddlebag on his motorcycle, which was nearby.

Authorities said Scheboth had no criminal history with Henderson Police. There were no calls for service to his home. His only apparent contact with police was being issued two speeding tickets, one in 1991 and another in 2001.

Detectives continue to investigate but said there was the possibility they will not be able to learn a motive for what they were calling an ambush.