Coroner IDs man shot by police in North Las Vegas

By Las Vegas Sun Staff (contact)

Published Monday, Jan. 12, 2015 | 7:08 a.m.

Updated Monday, Jan. 12, 2015 | 4:30 p.m.

A man shot and killed by a North Las Vegas Police officer Sunday night after police say he pulled a gun on the officer has been identified as 29-year-old Salvador Figueroa, the Clark County Coroner’s Office said.

Two uniformed officers were conducting an investigation about 8:25 p.m. in a convenience store parking lot at Eastern and Searles avenues involving Figueroa, 27-year-old Karina Carlota Zaragoza-Maldanado and their vehicles, police said.

Police said North Las Vegas resident Zaragoza-Maldanado was arrested during a traffic stop that led to the shooting.

During the investigation, Figueroa fled on foot, police said. One officer stayed with Zaragoza-Maldanado and the other officer chased Figueroa, a Las Vegas resident, across Searles into an adjacent business parking lot before he circled back to the scene, police said.

Figueroa reached the driver’s door of his vehicle and the officer shocked him with a stun gun, which had little effect, police said.

Figueroa pulled a handgun and the officer shot him multiple times, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Zaragoza-Maldanado was booked into the Las Vegas city jail on one felony charge of possession of methamphetamine and one misdemeanor charge of possession of narcotic paraphernalia, police said.

The 41-year-old officer who fired the shots is a seven-year veteran of the department and has been placed on routine paid administrative leave. His name will be released after 48 hours.

This is the first officer-involved shooting in North Las Vegas this year.