Posted on: April 21, 2024, 07:06h.
Last updated on: April 21, 2024, 07:06h.
An unnamed man eventually was caught Saturday after he allegedly aimed a firearm at several motorists on or near the Las Vegas Strip.
The suspect was seen pointing the gun at different vehicles in different locations, according to police reports.
He then was spotted by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers. They began to pursue his vehicle near Sahara Avenue and I-15. Eventually, officers stopped him near the Strip at about 1:15 p.m.
They only got the suspect to stop his car after they employed an advanced pursuit tactic, according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS.
It’s called the precision immobilization technique (PIT). In this pursuit tactic, officers will drive toward the suspect’s vehicle in such a way that leads the suspect to turn the vehicle sideways. The driver then loses control of the car and is forced to stop, according to Wikipedia.
No shots were fired by the suspect. Nor were there any injuries.
It’s unclear why the suspect was aiming the gun at the motorists.
The incident also led LVMPD officers to shut down traffic near Las Vegas Boulevard and Liset Way for about two hours.
Suspects Crash into Police Car
In an unrelated incident, a car, in which were two robbery suspects, crashed into a LVMPD vehicle also on Saturday.
Police began to chase the suspects at about 6 p.m. after officers were notified to be on the watch for a vehicle that was used in a robbery that took place earlier in the day in California.
Initially, LVMPD officers attempted to pull the suspects’ vehicle to the side of the road near Maryland Parkway and Rochelle Avenue.
But the suspect sped away and officers pursued him.
Eventually, the suspects’ car sped through an intersection and failed to stop for a stop sign. It then crashed into a parked LVMPD police car.
The two suspects jumped out of their damaged vehicle and began to run away. But officers were able to quickly apprehend them.
The duo was arrested and initially were taken by officers to a local hospital for treatment. They suffered what were described as minor injuries.
Police officers who took part in the chase and arrest also were taken to a hospital. None appeared seriously injured, according to KLAS.
The collision led the LVMPD to temporarily shut down Eastern Avenue south of Vegas Valley Drive.
The duo will likely be extradited to California to stand trial for robbery charges. They likely also will face charges in Nevada related to the pursuit.
