Las Vegas man told officers he ‘became enraged’ before stabbing: police

LAS VEGAS ( KLAS ) — A man facing an attempted murder charge told police he “became enraged” before stabbing another man several times, according to documents.

On Saturday, Aug. 17, at around 9:30 a.m., officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department were called to the 5100 block of East Lake Mead Boulevard after reports of a stabbing, according to an arrest report.

Arriving officers found a man lying on the ground outside of a convenience store suffering from multiple stab wounds. Medical personnel took him to a nearby hospital.

Surveillance footage showed the victim walking towards and entering the convenience store. Moments later, the suspect follows the victim to the store. As the suspect approaches, the victim opens the door and the two get into an argument, the report stated.

The victim then attempted to shut and hold the doors closed, but the suspect forced the door open, produced a knife, and stabbed the victim several times in the neck and side, police said.

Witnesses told police the suspect possibly worked at the Dollar General across the street from the convenience store, the report stated. Officers went to the store and detained an employee, identified as Ezra Bonitto-Mejia, 24, who matched the suspect’s description.

Bonitto-Mejia told police he experienced “issues” with unhoused individuals who loiter in the area, telling police the victim swung at him in the Dollar General earlier that morning, according to the report.

The victim told police he went to the Dollar General in the morning and when he entered the store, Bonitto-Mejia confronted him about leaving his backpack at the door, causing an argument. The victim told police Bonitto-Mejia pulled out a knife and told him to leave, the report stated.

Bonitto-Mejia told police he went for a smoke break after the victim left, but once outside he saw the victim and “became enraged,” following him to the convenience store. Bonitto-Mejia admitted to stabbing the victim once in the neck and three times in the chest, according to the report.

Bonitto-Mejia said he then tossed the knife into the parking lot of a nearby car dealership before returning to work. Bonitto-Mejia told police he was remorseful and said he was “just angry,” according to the report.

Officers took Bonitto-Mejia to the Clark County Detention Center where he faces a charge of attempted murder with the use of a deadly weapon.

Bonitto-Mejia was held on a $50,000 bail. If he makes bail, he will be on high-level electronic monitoring and will have to stay away from the location of the stabbing.

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