Boy, 17, killed, father wounded in North Las Vegas shooting

When a father and his teenage son went to confront a man suspected of stealing their family’s truck on Saturday morning, the alleged thief shot and killed the teen and injured the father, North Las Vegas police said.

Officers were called just after 7 a.m. to the 2600 block of Ferguson Avenue, near Evans Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard North, after a report of a shooting, North Las Vegas Police Department spokesman Eric Leavitt said in an email Saturday evening. Officers found a 17-year-old boy and a 44-year-old man who appeared to have been shot.

The 17-year-old died at the scene, Leavitt said. The 44-year-old, identified as the boy’s father, was taken to University Medical Center and is expected to survive.

Detectives believe that just before the shooting, the victim’s family truck was stolen from their home. The father and son took the family’s other vehicle to look for the stolen truck, which they found “just down the street,” Leavitt said.

When the father and son found the truck, another man was inside, Leavitt said. The 17-year-old went to confront the man when the alleged thief shot the boy.

The 44-year-old went to help his son and was also shot, Leavitt said. The suspected shooter then drove away in the stolen truck.

Leavitt said the truck was found unoccupied a few hours later in the 2700 block of Perliter Avenue, near Civic Center Drive and Lake Mead Boulevard, which is less than 1.5 miles from the shooting.

Detectives “are not prepared” to release information about the suspect as of Saturday evening, Leavitt said.

The Clark County coroner’s office will identify the boy as well as his cause and manner of death. The shooting marks the 19th homicide investigated by North Las Vegas police this year, according to records maintained by the Review-Journal.

On Saturday night, multiple candles lit up a small corner of the sidewalk along Ferguson Avenue where the 17-year-old had been gunned down that morning. “RIP Kevin” had been written on a candle and across the pavement.

Family members declined to talk to a reporter at the scene on Saturday night. No one spoke as those gathered stood on the dark street, staring at the candles.

Anyone with information can call North Las Vegas police at 702-633-9111. Anonymous tips can be left with Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.