Officers identified in fatal northeast valley shooting

Two officers involved in the fatal shooting of a man after responding to a domestic disturbance call in the northeast valley Friday morning were identified Sunday as Robert S. Thompson and Baudelio Gastelum, Las Vegas police said.

Thompson, 27, has been with the department since January 2002. Gastelum, 26, joined the department in November 2006.

Both patrol officers are assigned to the Downtown Area Command.

Police said the fatal confrontation occurred about 7:30 a.m. at 2917 Theresa Ave., near Washington Avenue and Mojave Road.

There is conflicting information about the age of the deceased man, who is either 35 or 36 years old. His name was not released. Police said officers arrived at the home and saw a man pinning a woman against a bedroom wall while wielding scissors in a threatening manner.

Officers were originally called to the home because of a report that a man was stabbing a woman with a screwdriver, police said.

The man refused officers’ commands to drop the scissors and surrender, police said. Officers twice tried to incapacitate the man with a Taser but the attempts failed. The man fought with the officers, gaining control of one officer’s stun gun and trying to grab the other, police said.

One officer shot the man several times. The man died at the scene.

Police did not disclose whether Thompson or Gastelum fired the fatal shots. The officer who fired the fatal shots has been placed on routine paid-administrative leave. The status of the second officer was unclear Sunday.

The shooting is expected to be reviewed under the revamped coroner’s inquest system.

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.