Las Vegas police identify officer involved in Monday night shooting

By LAWREN LINEHAN and WESLEY JUHL LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

8 years ago

Daniel Prichard (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)

Undersheriff Kevin McMahill talks to members of the media during a briefing at Las Vegas police headquarters on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. (Brett Le Blanc/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @bleblancphoto)

A video of Monday night’s officer-involved shooting shows an officer firing at a car driving past him as it plays during a media briefing at Las Vegas police headquarters on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. (Brett Le Blanc/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @bleblancphoto)

Undersheriff Kevin McMahill identifies a vehicle driven by Daniel Prichard during a briefing at Las Vegas police headquarters on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Brett Le Blanc/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @bleblancphoto

A map of Monday night’s officer-involved shooting is shown during a media briefing at Las Vegas police headquarters on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Brett Le Blanc/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @bleblancphoto

A map of Monday night’s officer-involved shooting is shown during a media briefing at Las Vegas police headquarters on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. (Brett Le Blanc/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @bleblancphoto)

A neighborhood between Stewart Avenue and East Charleston Boulevard was blocked off as an officer-involved shooting was investigated early Tuesday morning, Nov. 15, 2016. (Mike Shoro/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Undersheriff Kevin McMahill talks to members of the media during a briefing at Las Vegas police headquarters on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Brett Le Blanc/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @bleblancphoto

Las Vegas police are not sure why a man fled from a routine traffic stop that preceded an officer-involved shooting late Monday night in an east valley cul-de-sac.

Metropolitan Police Department Undersheriff Kevin McMahill said the driver, Daniel Prichard, 18, had a relatively minor criminal history — mostly traffic infractions and juvenile crimes. Now he is facing a charge of assault with a deadly weapon against a police officer.

Officer Scott Hinckley, 33, fired 10 rounds at the car at 11:19 p.m. Monday because he thought it was going to run him over, McMahill said Thursday.

Prichard was not shot, and police took him into custody a short distance away.

Hinckley and his partner attempted to pull over Prichard’s car for not having a license plate near North Nellis Boulevard and East Bonanza Road, but the vehicle sped off. The vehicle did not have its lights on. Officers did not pursue it with lights and sirens but kept a short distance away and tracked the car’s movements.

A short time later, officers saw the car run a red light and make a left turn onto North Sandhill Road. Those officers quickly found the car near Del Amo Drive and Sandhill. When officers turned on their patrol car’s bright overhead lights, Prichard sped toward the officers, police said.

McMahill played footage from the body-worn cameras of Hinckley and his partner, officer Matthew Terry. The video shows Hinckley firing on Prichard’s vehicle as it speeds toward him.

The video shows that the car was only a few feet away from Hinckley, who continued to fire into the driver’s side and the back of the car as it passed him.

Hinckley is assigned to Metro’s community policing division in the northeast area command and has been employed with the department since February 2014. He has been placed on routine paid administrative leave pending the outcome of a review of the incident.

Prichard was booked into the Clark County Detention Center and is due in court for a preliminary hearing Nov. 30. He also is facing charges of reckless driving; driving on a suspended, canceled or revoked license; and having an unregistered vehicle.

Contact Lawren Linehan at llinehan@reviewjournal.com or at 702-383-0381. Follow @lawrenlinehan on Twitter. Contact Wesley Juhl at wjuhl@reviewjournal.com and 702-383-0391. Follow @WesJuhl on Twitter.