Posted on: April 9, 2024, 09:15h.
Last updated on: April 9, 2024, 09:21h.
A Las Vegas lawyer reportedly fatally shot another attorney and the man’s wife before taking his own life on Monday.
The grisly murder-suicide took place in a law office on the fifth floor of Summerlin, Nev.’s City National Bank building located next to Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa.
Four other people inside the room where the shooting occurred escaped injuries, according to initial reports. They and hundreds of others in the building fled after shots rang out.
Custody Battle
One of the shooting victims, Dennis Prince, principal of the Prince Law Group, was representing his wife, Ashley Prince, in a deposition related to her child custody case when the shooting occurred, according to news reports. She was the second murder victim.
The shooter was identified in the media as Joe Houston II. He was a lawyer who was representing his son, Dylan Houston, who had divorced Ashley Prince.
Just three to four minutes into the 10 a.m. deposition, Joe Houston pulled out a gun and wounded Ashley and Dennis Prince, according to initial reports.
She was trying to get sole custody of their children. It was alleged that Dylan Houston used cocaine and alcohol while he had custody of their children, according to KLAS, citing legal documents. He also allegedly sent abusive texts to Ashley Prince, KLAS added.
Screams, Gunfire
“I heard screams and yelling coming from the hallway and a guy came in and said there is a shooter on the fifth floor so we ran and dispersed into the offices and started hiding,” Ashley Brinkmeyer, who works in the bank building, told Las Vegas TV station KTNV.
Two of the people who had been in the deposition were screaming and upset. They said there was a shooter in their office, so we said, ‘Come into our office,’ and locked the door,” Dan Musgrove, who works in an office near the law firm, revealed to Las Vegas TV station KVVU.
“I think they were in shock, and it was tragic to see what was going on,” he added. “They knew shots had been fired. They believed someone was shot and potentially killed.”
Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill later said that those in the building made their way to a nearby parking area and eventually the Red Rock Casino Resort. They were given access to a variety of victim services while at the casino-resort, KLAS reported.
As a precaution, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers searched the entire office building to make sure everyone else was safe. Officers also temporarily halted traffic on Charleston Boulevard near the casino while police investigated the crime.
Autopsies will be performed on the three deceased individuals.
Shock, Devastation
News of the murder-suicide has shocked the Nevada legal and political community.
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, D, told KLAS he was “devastated” by the crime.
Dennis Prince was not only a brilliant attorney, but he was also my former law partner and my friend,” Ford added. “I can’t believe he’s gone. I’m extremely saddened by his and Ashley’s death, and my heart goes out to their families, especially their children.”
In addition, the State Bar of Nevada issued a statement, which said in part it was “shocked by the tragic events of the multiple shootings this morning in a Summerlin law office. The shootings are terrible and heartbreaking.”
“I’m heartbroken by the news that Las Vegas attorney Dennis Prince and his wife Ashley are the victims of today’s shooting in Summerlin,” agreed US Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., in a statement. “Dennis was a fixture of the Las Vegas community & my thoughts are with their loved ones.”
