A Las Vegas police officer and Marine veteran was killed Tuesday evening while responding to a report of an armed individual, authorities said. The suspect was also killed in the exchange.
Officers were dispatched to a business on East Tropicana Avenue shortly before 4 p.m. following a report of a person waving a firearm and appearing intoxicated, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Police located the suspect near Mountain Vista Street and the Interstate 11 underpass. The suspect then opened fire on the responding officers, and at least one officer returned fire. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 30-year-old officer sustained a wound during the encounter and was transported to University Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill stated the officer was a Marine veteran who had served with the police department since November 2023.
"A person who served this country and this community," McMahill said of the fallen officer during a news briefing. "As you can imagine, I have lots of grieving police officers and a grieving community."
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department extended its condolences to the officer's family and pledged support. The Nevada State Police also offered condolences to the officer's family and the police department.
