Early Tuesday morning drive-by shooting kills boy, 17

Las Vegas police were investigating a drive-by shooting near downtown early Tuesday morning.

Police said homicide detectives were called to Las Vegas Boulevard and Santa Paula Drive about 3:30 a.m., where a 17-year-old boy was shot.

His identity was not released by the Clark County coroner’s office. The teenager died at University Medical Center.

Police said people in the area have been uncooperative with officers.

Homicide Lt. Lew Roberts said that before the shooting, the teen was walking to a market with three other people when a white Ford Focus drove by and did a U-turn, and then at least three shots were fired from the vehicle toward the group.

He added that the Focus is thought to be an early 2000 model.

Police have not determined a description of a suspect or suspects, Roberts said.

“It’s most likely going to be gang motivated,” he said of the slaying.

Anyone with information on this shooting is urged to call the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Section at 828-3521 or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.