Nevada Highway Patrol officers, suspect involved in shooting identified

Two Nevada Highway Patrol officers who fired at a man early Monday were identified Thursday as was the suspect the officers were chasing.

Trooper Micah May, hired by the agency in April 2008, and Sgt. Raymond Pedraza, hired in June 2001, shot at 33-year-old David Bird Jr., department officials said.

According to Bird's arrest report, he told his ex-girlfriend, who was in the car with him when a patrol vehicle pulled up behind him: "I'm not going to stop. ... Someone is going to die."

Bird, initially reported to be in critical condition at University Medical Center, is in the Clark County Detention Center on charges including disobeying a police officer, carrying a concealed weapon with no permit, possession of a gun by a prohibited person, possession of a stolen vehicle, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and burglary while in possession of a firearm.

According to the Highway Patrol, Bird failed to stop for a traffic violation at 3:49 a.m., then led troopers on a 10-mile chase that exceeded 100 mph. After the car chase, Bird got out of his car, brandished a weapon, fled on foot and was shot by troopers.

The report said he was grazed with a bullet by his head and suffered a perforating wound to his right thigh.

Investigators found two guns on the ground where he was shot, a .40-caliber pistol and a .22-caliber revolver .

Bird's ex-girlfriend told investigators he was paranoid police were looking for him because of a robbery he committed. The woman also told police Bird recently had tried to kill her with the revolver but narrowly missed her, the report said.

After the shooting, a stretch of U.S. 95 was closed for about six hours during morning rush hour, and hundreds of commuters were rerouted through side streets.

The case is under investigation by Las Vegas police. Monday's shooting was the third by a Highway Patrol trooper in the past decade.

According to Clark County District Court records, Bird pleaded guilty to battery domestic violence in 2007. He was sentenced to 12 to 48 months in prison.

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