Domestic disputes, shootouts lead homicides halfway through 2022

Although homicides were down across the valley in the first half of this year, domestic killings and gun violence remained a concern for police.

Vankeedra Johnson told her niece someone was trying to kill her.

The 29-year-old woman used makeup in an effort to hide her black eyes and denied any abuse at the hands of her partner, a man her family in California did not know.

Johnson’s sister Ruby McClure said that on Feb. 21, Johnson dropped her three children off with their great aunt and was on her way to the home of an elderly man she cared for.

Police said Johnson got into a fight with Allis Coleman that morning at Nellis Garden Apartments, near North Nellis and North Las Vegas boulevards.

A witness told detectives that Coleman grabbed Johnson’s neck and “forced her down toward the ground,” according to the arrest report. The witness said Coleman had a gun in his hand, and that she heard several shots as she ran inside to call the police.

“She always said she didn’t want to die alone,” McClure said in an interview last month. “That really ate at me. I just feel so bad. That’s exactly what happened. Not only did she die alone, she got killed, died alone and wasn’t able to have her funeral until a month later. … I’ve been trying to just move on with it. I’ve got to be strong for me and my kids and my family, but it’s really hard because we were so close.”

Along with Johnson, at least seven other people were killed as of June 30 this year because of domestic violence. Across Clark County, 89 people have been killed, including 74 deaths that were investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

Metro homicide Lt. Jason Johannson said domestic-related killings were slightly down in Las Vegas, but detectives still spend time urging victims of domestic violence to escape before situations turn deadly.

“People need to be using the resources available to them through public entities or private to remove themselves from the situation before it escalates,” he said.

Shootouts among men

Johansson also said several homicides so far this year were shootouts, with multiple gunshot victims at each scene.

“We’re seeing a physical altercation or verbal altercation that both parties end up having a firearm,” he said. “So both parties are shooting. We’ve seen that numerous times.”

Police across all departments in Clark County investigated three mass shootings in the first half of this year. The first happened in the early hours of Feb. 26, when a shootout at a birthday party resulted in 13 injuries and one death. Investigators said they suspect five people opened fire. Five days later, a fight among neighbors at a Siegel Suites injured six people and left one dead.

In Henderson, an ongoing rivalry between the Hells Angels and the Vagos motorcycle groups led to 25 bullet cartridges on U.S. Highway 95 on May 29. Three bikers were arrested and charged with attempted murder. Two bikers were in critical condition, but as of Friday none of the people shot had died.

“Perceived disrespect associated with social media and in-person fighting has become a significant issue,” said Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo. “Instead of reacting with their words and feet and hands, now they’re reacting with guns, and that is a disturbing trend.”

At least 30 homicides in Clark County involved men killed during a fight with another man.

Former homicide Lt. Ray Spencer, who retired in May, said the number of killings in the first half of the year could have been much higher if officers had not rendered first aid.

“You have cops that five years ago wouldn’t have equipment or a tourniquet to be able to provide life-saving measures,” Spencer said. “When they respond now, they are able to provide first aid where before they would just be waiting for medical.”

Numbers down valleywide

By July 1, 2021, Clark County authorities had investigated 104 killings, or 15 more than this year. Metro led 81 of those investigations.

North Las Vegas police have investigated 12 killings so far this year, down by two from the first half of last year. The department could not be reached for comment.

Henderson police investigated three homicides, including that of a teen who accidentally shot his brother, a murder-suicide and a 5-year-old who police suspect was beaten to death by his father.

“It’s difficult to prevent what’s happening inside the home,” said Henderson police Capt. Kirk Moore. “But once aware, we try to send resources.”

Ruby McClure said her sister seemed to have found stability in Las Vegas and was working to provide a better life for her children.

Johnson was the youngest of 20 children between her two parents. She tried to give back to less fortunate residents while living in California, and last year when she moved to Las Vegas, by cooking and serving food at shelters. Now, McClure is trying to move forward without her baby sister.

“No matter what, that’s what she’s going to be known as, a giving person with a smile and a laugh,” McClure said. “She would take the clothes off her back. That’s the type of person she was. It could have been a dog, a friend, if she felt like you’ve been treated wrong, she was going to protect you.”

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.