Police say ‘more than 30 rounds fired’ in southwest Las Vegas shooting

The Clark County coroner has identified a man was shot and killed last week in the southwest Las Vegas Valley as a 22-year-old Las Vegas man.

In a media briefing, Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Steven Riback said dispatch received several calls about the 12:38 a.m. shooting in the 6000 block of Coja Street, one of which described a person shot in a garage.

Arriving officers found a man with multiple gunshot wounds, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, Riback said. On Monday, the Clark County coroner’s office identified the man as Michael Simmons Jr., 22, of Las Vegas. Simmons died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide, according to the coroner’s office.

According to police, a white Dodge Charger with a black front bumper was seen circling the neighborhood multiple times just prior to the shooting.

The vehicle, Riback said, stopped in front of a residence and several subjects exited the car.

“A short time after, more than 30 rounds were fired,” police said. “Only one individual was struck, the male that was deceased, and that was the only injury that we know of at this time.”

Authorities said that the vehicle then left the area.

“Detectives believe that this is an isolated incident and there is no further danger to the citizens at this time,” Riback said.

Inside Cassia, the gated community where the shooting took place, some neighbors said they initially believed the sounds of gunfire to be fireworks. With multiple empty dirt lots adjacent to the neighborhood, they said, people frequently shoot fireworks near their homes.

Struggling to sleep with a broken air conditioning system, Cameron Varela, 27, said he and his girlfriend were awake to hear what sounded like seven or eight fireworks go off. He said he dismissed the sounds until he saw the flashing lights of first responders through his blinds later in the night.

When he left his house in the morning, Varela said he saw about 15 people who identified themselves as members of the victim’s family gathered outside Metro’s caution tape perimeter, which he can see from his driveway.

Soyoung Son, 35, said she heard the gunfire, as well, but also dismissed it as potential fireworks. She said it wasn’t until later Wednesday morning that she heard news of the shooting from her husband. Having lived in the neighborhood for three years, Son said she hasn’t seen an incident like this before.

The shooting remains under investigation, police said.

Contact Spencer Levering at slevering@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0253.