Police: Stolen vehicle led Henderson investigators to Las Vegas home in fatal shooting

Henderson police on Wednesday shared new details about a fatal police shooting at a Las Vegas residence last month that left a 71-year-old man dead.

Bruce Ayer died at an area hospital June 26 after he was shot twice by Henderson Police Department SWAT officer Michael Stevens at Ayer’s home in the 3800 block of Case Colorado Avenue in Las Vegas, according to a roughly four-minute long video briefing posted Wednesday.

Stevens opened fire on Ayer after officers made entry into Ayer’s residence to execute a search warrant regarding a reported burglary that happened the day before in the 1200 block of Imperia Drive in Henderson, Capt. Benson Harper said in the briefing. Body-worn camera footage from Stevens shows Ayer pointing an object that police said looked like a handgun but, according to Harper, turned out to be a replica.

While investigating the June 25 burglary, detectives learned that a silver Volkswagen had been stolen, Harper said. Police tracked the Volkswagen to Ayer’s home.

Officers executed the search warrant with the help of the Henderson Police Department SWAT team, according to Harper. Radio communications and body-worn camera footage provided in the briefing illustrated how police said the shooting unfolded.

Serving a warrant

About 7 a.m. on June 26, Stevens and other SWAT officers walked up to the house and an automated voice advised occupants they had a search warrant and were demanding entry to the residence, according to Harper’s account and body-camera footage. Inside the home, officers continued to announce they were serving a warrant.

Stevens and other officers can then be heard restating their presence and yelling “police department” and “search warrant” multiple times as they walk into Ayer’s home, according to the body camera video. The footage shows a shirtless Ayer pointing the fake handgun at Stevens and Stevens backing into a hallway.

Ayer ignored an officer’s demand to stay still and continued to advance toward Stevens, the body cam footage showed. Stevens had drawn his service weapon — which appears to be an AR-style long rifle — and is seen shooting Ayer twice as Stevens positioned his line of sight to the entryway of the kitchen.

Police cleared the scene and medics immediately tried to render aid, Harper said. The prop gun was recovered and submitted as evidence, Harper said.

Body camera footage from Stevens was the only video provided of the shooting. In the segment of radio chatter shared in the briefing, one officer is heard saying “back out” multiple times and telling his sergeant that shots were fired inside the home. Another officer is heard reporting seconds later there was a man down in the kitchen.

“We’re going to need some people up here for hands,” the officer then stated. “Hey … can we get two tac meds in here?”

Harper said the Henderson Police Department was the only agency that responded to the incident. No officers were injured during the shooting. The shooting, which Harper said remained under investigation, marked the second police shooting in Henderson’s jurisdiction in 2025.

The investigations findings are expected to be presented to Chief Reggie Rader.

Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Casey_Harrison1 on X or @casey-harrison.bsky.social on Bluesky.