Police identify man seen pointing gun at tourists on Las Vegas strip
LAS VEGAS > Police identified a 20-year-old man who they say pointed a gun at tourists and traffic before a police officer shot at him and grazed two bystanders on the Las Vegas Strip.
Khaleal Black of Las Vegas was being held at Clark County jail today pending a Wednesday court appearance on felony charges in the Friday evening shooting on Las Vegas Boulevard near the Bellagio resort fountains.
The people grazed by gunfire escaped serious injury, including a young boy who was treated at University Medical Center for a minor wound and released, Las Vegas police Officer Larry Hadfield said.
A bullet passed through another man’s clothing, but he wasn’t injured, police said.
The officer who fired shots, George Smith, 45, a 10-year department veteran, was placed on paid leave pending departmental and district attorney reviews of the shooting.
Hadfield said security video shows Black pointing a handgun at people before Smith arrived in a patrol car and opened fire.
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Police said a handgun was seized from Black, but it wasn’t immediately disclosed if the weapon was loaded.
Black was held during the weekend in a jail medical unit under the name John Doe after police said he refused to identify himself or answer investigators’ questions.
Department supervisors were due to brief the media, possibly Tuesday, about the shooting and investigation.
3 responses to “Police identify man seen pointing gun at tourists on Las Vegas strip”
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Collateral injury to innocent bystanders caused by the cop opening fire. Too excited or just a poor shooter?
We weren’t there.
Well, at least Officer Smith wasn’t accused of emptying his gun at the suspect. He may not be the best shot in the Vegas PD, but maybe due to his age, he seems to have demonstrated a degree of restraint.