NLV police officer shoots suspect in leg

A 30-year-old suspect in a drive-by shooting was shot by a North Las Vegas police officer Monday after the man pointed a shotgun in the officer's direction during a traffic stop.

Jose Gonzales, 30, of North Las Vegas quickly was apprehended in a yard near Lake Mead Boulevard and Civic Center Drive after fleeing the scene, said department spokesman Lt. Art Redcay.

Gonzales was treated at University Medical Center for a gunshot wound to the leg and later booked into jail on suspicion of aiming a firearm at another and felony obstruction, Redcay said.

Officers had responded to a report of a man waving a firearm from a van window and a second report of shots being fired about 12:10 a.m., Redcay said. An officer located a van matching the description near McCarran Street and Judson Avenue and followed it to a driveway at 2206 Crawford St., Redcay said.

Three men fled the van. The last one out pointed a shotgun at the officer, he said. Fearing he was in danger, the officer fired two shots from his handgun, Redcay said.

Additional officers arrived and located the three men in a nearby yard on the 2200 block of Ellis Street, he said.

"They had jumped over a wall and were hiding in the yard," Redcay said.

Jesus Carrilla, 19, of Las Vegas was arrested on suspicion of discharging a weapon where people might be endangered, felony obstruction and possession of a stolen firearm.

The third man, Raul Villa, 31, of North Las Vegas was questioned by police but not charged, Redcay said.

A woman who had been driving the van but did not flee with the men also was questioned. She first told police the men had carjacked her, but later said she had lied, Redcay said.

Investigators think the woman had been having a dispute with a current or ex-husband over a child when she and the three men showed up at the man's apartment and fired shots from the van, he said. No one was injured.

The identity of the officer involved in the shooting will not be released for 48 hours after the incident in accordance with department policy.

The officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of a force review board that will determine whether the shooting was justified.

Redcay said the decision of the board will be made public; a departure from the department's past policy.

The department recently decided it needed to publicize the board's determination in order to comply with national accreditation standards for police departments, he said.