Las Vegas officers identified in shooting of man holding woman hostage

Las Vegas police identified two officers Sunday who shot at a man holding a woman at knife-point Friday.

The man died in the shooting.

Police said the officers who fired their weapons were Russell Ellsworth, 28, and Brandon Oris, 29. Ellsworth was hired in March 2008; Oris in August 2008.

The shooting happened about 7:45 a.m. near Siegel Suites in the 3800 block of Cambridge Street, near the intersection of Maryland Parkway and Flamingo Road.

Police said the man was refusing to vacate his Siegel Suites room.

Deputy Chief Kathy O'Connor, who oversees the Investigative Services Division, said the officers were at a nearby community-policing event when they were told about a man refusing to leave the complex. The man had threatened Siegel Suites' management that he would take hostages if they tried to evict him, she said.

After a short chase on Cambridge Street, the man grabbed an elderly woman and put two knives to her neck. The officers felt they needed to fire to protect the woman, who did not know the man, O'Connor said.

"They felt her life was in danger," she said.

The officers fired at the suspect, who was not identified. He died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

Several witnesses said they heard four gunshots but didn't see the shooting.

The woman was visibly shaken as she sat on the sidewalk after the incident. Police said she was unharmed.

Ellsworth and Oris were placed on routine administrative leave pending an investigation into the shooting.

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.