Body cameras capture fatal shooting by Las Vegas police officer
Body cameras captured the moment a Las Vegas police officer shot and killed a man who had fatally stabbed his wife in their central valley house.
Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Sheriff Lazaro Chavez on Thursday shared the footage and a late Sunday 911 audio of the couple’s children pleading for police and paramedics to show up to their house in the 600 block of North Bruce Street, near Bonanza Road.
“To all those victims, family, and friends, we have resources available to you,” Chavez said, referring to local groups that offer help for victims of domestic violence.
He said that police had not previously responded to that home.
The Clark County coroner’s office identified the man who died as Miguel Gallarzo and his wife as Delia Luna-Rojo. Both were 46.
Chavez said the man had stabbed his wife several times during a quarrel.
“We would rather people call us when the argument begins rather than wait for family to be destroyed,” a teary-eyed Chavez said.
A 911 dispatcher answered a call about 11:20 p.m. Sunday from one of the couple’s children, whose ages range from 14 to their 20s.
A male voice was heard saying that his father had killed his mother, adding that his parents were in a bedroom and he did not want to go inside. Chavez said police were told Gallarzo wanted to take his own life.
“Please call an ambulance fast,” the 911 caller said, crying. “Why would he (expletive) do that to us, man.”
Officers arrived at the house and headed to the couple’s bedroom, where they found Gallarzo lying on a bed next to his wife. Gallarzo was told to show his hands and lie on his stomach. But instead, he began to get up and threw something at an officer before digging through a comforter for a knife, Chavez said.
Officer Tate Nelson, 25, who was standing by the bedroom door shot Gallarzo twice with a 12-gauge shotgun after the armed man began walking toward him, Chavez said.
A second officer had deployed a stun gun on the suspect at the same time, Chavez added. Police recovered a butcher knife and a folding knife, both of which were bloodied.
The couple died at the scene.
Nelson, hired by Metro in 2020, was placed in routine administrative leave, while an investigation into the shooting continued.
The Southern Nevada Family Justice Center, a hub that offers resources for victims of domestic violence, can be reached at 702-828-7714 or fjc@lvmpd.com. The Shade Tree, which offers shelter for women, children and pets, operates a crisis hotline operated 24/7 at 855-385-0072.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @rickytwrites.
Review-Journal staff writer Sabrina Schnur contributed to this story.