Las Vegas officer shoots, injures man after car chase, police say

LAS VEGAS ( KLAS ) — A man who was shot by police after pointing a gun at an officer Thursday morning is in stable condition, police said at a news conference.

According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Captain Kurt McKenzie of the Office of Internal Oversight and Constitutional Policing, the shooting happened just before 10 a.m. on Thursday Oct. 17 at an apartment complex in the 4800 block of East Tropicana Avenue, near South Nellis Boulevard.

McKenzie said police were called to a nearby area after a report of a vehicle with stolen license plates. As arriving officers located the vehicle, two people entered the vehicle and left the location “at a high rate of speed.”

Captain McKenzie said the vehicle was “flying through the intersection and running a red light, almost causing an accident” as officers on the ground chased them while an air unit hoovered above.

The vehicle then entered the apartment complex and both people in the vehicle left the vehicle. Officers chased after the driver, a man, on foot through the complex.

Officers located him near a building, when the officer rounded the corner of the building, the man was pointing a firearm at the suspect, causing the officer to fire toward the man, Captain McKenzie said.

Officers at the scene provided medical aid to the man and took him to a nearby hospital, where he is stable condition.

Police said the other person in the vehicle was located and was taken into custody.

McKenzie said they “don’t believe” the man fired at the officer and said they are still investigating the incident. Police did not say if either person faces any charges.

Additional details, such as the name of the officer and suspect involved, will be released at a later date.

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