Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Woman pleads guilty in shooting of motorist on Las Vegas Strip

A woman accused of shooting a man in the neck in what authorities described as a road-rage shooting on the Las Vegas Strip pleaded guilty in Clark County District Court today.

Brittanie Merritt-Burwell, 22, pleaded guilty to attempted murder. She entered into a plea deal that dropped charges of battery and discharging a firearm at or into a vehicle.

As part of the deal, both sides recommended Merritt-Burwell serve between eight and 20 years in prison.

Merritt-Burwell shot the victim in the neck after the victim’s vehicle prevented her from switching lanes Dec. 23 in the 3700 block of S. Las Vegas Blvd., near Harmon Avenue, Metro Police said.

Witnesses told police they observed a female exit her car, approach the victim’s vehicle and shoot the driver through an open window, according to a Metro arrest report.

The man was transported to University Medical Center, where he was treated for a gunshot to his neck that exited through his chest.

Merritt-Burwell told police several versions of how events unfolded, eventually saying she pulled a gun out and hit the victim with it after he tried to pull her into his car, authorities said.

She said she remembered hearing a single shot, police said.

Today in court, Clark County District Court Judge David Barker asked Merritt-Burwell if she understood the recommendation was for the higher range of time she could serve for the crime and told her he would take the recommendation seriously.

Merritt-Burwell said she understood.

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