Teen held in stabbing death of juvenile

A male juvenile was fatally stabbed Tuesday night in the southeast valley, Las Vegas police said Wednesday.

The identity of the boy was not released.

Charles Bernard Smith, 19, was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on Wednesday in connection with the slaying on recommended charges of murder with a deadly weapon and probation violation.

Police said that at 10:16 p.m. they responded to the 5500 block of Boulder Highway, near Tropicana Avenue, on a call of a stabbing. Upon arrival, officers located the victim. He died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

Police said their investigation found two groups of people had been fighting, which led to the stabbing.

Homicide Lt. Lew Roberts said the initial investigation revealed it was a “simple case of two groups of juveniles who had an argument where one gets stabbed to death.”

Roberts said the incident might have involved gang members, but it was not a gang initiation. The investigation remains ongoing.

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

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