Man accused of threatening to shoot officer faces assault charge
A man arrested by Las Vegas police faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon on first responders after he pointed what authorities said appeared to be a gun at officers and threatened to shoot.
Police responded to the sighting of a stolen Kia Optima in front of a Dotty’s on Las Vegas Boulevard, near Craig Road around 11 p.m. on Oct. 24.
Chad Guerra, 35, was reported getting out of the car, and did not respond to officers’ commands, according to an arrest report.
Police said Guerra reached into a cross-body bag that he was wearing in a way that made it appear he was carrying a gun.
He first walked toward the the Dotty’s exit, but after police told him to stop, Guerra walked toward officers while reaching deeper into his bag, the report stated.
After leaving the Dotty’s, Guerra ran west on Las Vegas Boulevard, still reaching into his bag, according to the report. Police set up a perimeter, and he ran back to the Dotty’s parking lot.
The report stated that Guerra pulled an object that officers initially believed was a gun from his bag and pointed it at the officers. They took cover before Guerra got into the Optima and drove away, according to police.
Guerra abandoned the car near D Street and Harrison Avenue, police said, and he walked north until he was confronted at gunpoint by an officer near D Street and Van Buren Avenue.
Police said that Guerra threatened to shoot the officer while still reaching into his bag.
After another officer with a K9 arrived on the scene, the report stated, Guerra pulled out a silver object that resembled a gun with an extra handle on the side and pointed it at the second officer and the dog, according to police. The second officer released the dog, who bit Guerra’s right wrist.
Officers later discovered that the object Guerra was a knife with a stabilizing handle made it appear to be a gun.
Along with assault, Guerra also faces several other charges including resisting a public officer with a deadly weapon, mistreating a police animal, possession of a stolen vehicle, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, and obtaining/possessing a credit card without owner’s consent.
He is set to appear in court on Nov. 14.
Contact Mark Credico at mcredico@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarkCredicoII.
