Man fatally shot in self-defense case, Las Vegas police say

Las Vegas police are investigating a homicide in the central valley on Sunday night that they believe was motivated by self-defense.

Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Lt. Ray Spencer said the department’s air unit noticed a motorcycle “that was acting very suspicious” in a shopping center near Sahara Avenue and Decatur Boulevard around 6 p.m.

The motorcycle drove “very recklessly” northbound on Decatur before it either parked or crashed in a residential community just north of Bonanza Road, Spencer said. The rider, described as a man in his late 20s, got off the bike and started taking off “the motorcycle clothing that he had on” and ran across Decatur.

He ran through Friendly Ford and jumped the fence into The Greens condominium community, where he ran into another man, described as being in his late 40s, who had gone outside to see what was going on when he heard the helicopters overhead, Spencer said.

The man in his 40s has a concealed carry permit and told the motorcyclist to stop because he was calling police, but the rider ran away, Spencer said. The resident followed him until the motorcyclist pulled out a knife and turned toward him, Spencer said.

“At that point the citizen fired what we believe to be two rounds, striking the suspect,” Spencer said. “The shooter then ran and grabbed a first-aid kit and began providing first aid to the victim on the ground, who he had just shot.”

Metro officers showed up soon after and helped the man administer first aid until medics arrived and declared the man dead. Spencer said the shooter was not arrested because police believe he was acting out of self-defense but that the case will be turned over to the Clark County district attorney’s office for review.

Contact Alexis Egeland at aegeland@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0335. Follow @alexis_egeland on Twitter.