Body camera footage shows moment Las Vegas officers opened fire on knife-wielding man

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Body camera footage shows the moment Las Vegas officers opened fire on a man who was chasing them with a knife, according to Metro police.

On Oct. 4 around 10 a.m., Metro officers Anthony Salinas, 26, and Trenzel Allen, 27 responded to a casino in the 200 block of Tropicana Avenue near Koval Lane to trespass two people. The person who reported the incident said the two people walked behind a counter, threatened to batter the employees, and then left the business.

Police later identified one of the suspects as Percy Lee Hawkins, 37, who was with a woman and a dog. Police said as Hawkins and the woman waited outside, they were seen pacing around the business.

When officers arrived, they observed Hawkins looking “highly agitated.” As Office Allen opened his car door, Hawkins ran towards him while holding a knife. The officer ordered Hawkins to drop the knife however, Hawkins did not comply. Officer Allen then shot at Hawkins as he continued to run up to the officers’ car door. Allen fired a total of six shots, police said.

Hawkins then started running toward Officer Salinas while holding the knife, causing him to discharge his weapon. Hawkins continued to run after Officer Salinas before he collapsed, according to police. Officer Salinas fired a total of 12 shots.

Hawkins was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Police said Hawkins was armed with a knife and had a metal necklace wrapped around his fist.

If he survived, Hawkins would have faced two counts of attempted murder on a first responder and one count of resisting a public officer with a weapon.

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