A Las Vegas police officer who was a Marine veteran was killed Tuesday while responding to a report of an armed person, authorities said. The suspect was also killed in the encounter.
Officers and police drones were sent to a business in the 4500 block of East Tropicana Avenue shortly before 4 p.m. after a caller reported that a person was waving a firearm and appeared to be intoxicated, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
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Police said officers located the armed suspect near Mountain Vista Street and the Interstate 11 underpass. The suspect then opened fire on the officers, prompting at least one officer to return fire.
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 30-year-old officer was wounded during the exchange and taken to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a news briefing.
"A 30-year-old Las Vegas police officer was then worked on heroically by the Clark County Fire Department, other officers and EMS," McMahill said. "He was transported to UMC where nurses worked to save his life."
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"Unfortunately, our officer has passed," the sheriff continued.
McMahill said 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. "As you can imagine, I have lots of grieving police officers and a grieving community."
The police department offered its condolences to the officer’s family and pledged to support them "in every way we can in the days ahead."
Other law enforcement agencies also mourned the officer’s death.
"The Nevada State Police extends our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of the fallen officer, and to our partners at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department," the agency said in a Facebook statement. "Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time."