Metro: Man still fired gun after Taser deployed

Anthony Wade Moore managed to fire a shot after a Las Vegas police detective used a Taser on him at the Rio over the weekend, Metro said Wednesday.

An officer fired back the shot that killed Moore. But a bullet fired from the gun in Moore’s hand hit his own thumb and lodged in his chest, Undersheriff Kevin McMahill said during a press conference at Las Vegas police headquarters.

Detectives had been looking for Moore after a series of recent armed robberies at casinos in Las Vegas and Henderson over the past month. In those heists, Moore usually showed a handgun and insinuated that he had a grenade or some sort of bomb in order to get the money from cashier cages, McMahill said.

Metro on Wednesday gave dates and locations for casinos they said Moore had hit: Palace Station on Nov. 9, the Palms on Nov. 21 and Sunset Station on Nov. 22.

In the last case, police said, he showed a cashier a fake grenade and demanded $100,000, but the woman wouldn’t budge. But when he pulled the gun, she gave up some cash.

He tried to rob the MGM Grand on Nov. 8, police said, but got nervous and left before he could steal anything. Police said Wednesday they believe Moore could be linked to older casino robberies, including one in 2009 also at the MGM Grand.

After tracking Moore and his rental Chevrolet Camaro throughout the night of Dec. 6, detectives followed him into the Rio about 5 a.m. Two detectives in the career criminal division, Officers Sean Beck and Thomas Faller, approached Moore as he neared the elevators.

The detectives tried to take Moore into custody, but Moore wasn’t going to go easily and reached into the gym bag he was carrying.

Faller used his Taser, but the device only managed to knock the stocky Moore, at 5 feet 8 inch and 244 pounds, to the ground.

Even with the Taser on him, Moore was able to pull out his handgun, which was still in its soft holster, police said.

Beck, who had closed in on Moore while he was on the ground, saw the gun in Moore’s hand. He told Moore to stop resisting and to drop the gun, McMahill said.

“Moore did not listen to any of those commands and continued to draw out his firearm from the bag and eventually fired one round himself,” McMahill said.

Almost simultaneously, McMahill said, Beck fired a single shot that hit Moore in the back of the neck.

Detectives immediately called for medical personnel. Moore was pronounced dead at the scene.

“(Detectives) confronted a very dangerous, armed individual, potentially with explosive devices,” McMahill said. “They had a weapon pulled on them. That suspect shot that gun, as well. And they ended the actions of that suspect.”

Police found a fake grenade that had been painted green, an extra magazine clip for his pistol, and prescription drugs in the center console of Moore’s rented Camaro.

Moore also had a criminal history in Oregon dating back to 2003, including charges of assault, weapon use and drug possession. He had just been released from jail in Oregon on probation on Nov 1. A warrant put out for his arrest after he missed a probation meeting said he would not be extradited back to Oregon.

Beck, 43, was placed on routine paid administrative leave pending an internal review of the shooting. He has been with Metro for 15 years.

This was the 15th officer involved shooting for Metro in 2014. Eight have been fatal.

Contact reporter Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Find him on Twitter:@ColtonLochhead.