Suspect in cop’s fatal shooting fired 18 rounds from AK-47, police say

A veteran Las Vegas police officer was walking away from a suspect’s vehicle when the driver fired 18 rounds from an AK-47 pistol, Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Sheriff Andrew Walsh said Monday.

One of the rounds struck Officer Truong Thai in the side, passing through his ballistic vest, Walsh said.

“Even after being mortally wounded, Officer Thai was able to return fire as he laid on the ground,” Walsh said.

Thai fired five rounds from his Glock 21 .45-caliber handgun.

He died an hour later at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center from a gunshot wound to the torso, according to the Clark County coroner’s office.

“This is a tough punch for our whole police department to take,” Walsh said. “He was one of those officers who had a lot of time on. He could pretty much work any shift he wanted to. A guy that’s been around for 23 years knows guys like me and knows the junior guys on the police department as well. He’s one of those guys that touched everybody.”

Metro is inviting the community to join in celebrating the life and service for Thai.

Public visitation is set for 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 27 at King David Memorial Chapel, 2697 E. Eldorado Lane. A funeral is set for 10 a.m. on Oct. 28 at Central Church, 1001 New Beginnings Drive in Henderson.

Thai, 49, was shot while responding to a call around 1 a.m. Thursday near South University Center Drive and East Flamingo Road, Walsh said Monday.

Thai and officer Ryan Gillihan, 32, responded to the area after a woman called to report her husband was beating her. Body camera footage released Monday showed Gillihan spoke to the woman, while Thai walked up to the husband’s blue car.

The husband, 24-year-old Tyson Hampton, refused to answer Thai’s questions and was seen on Thai’s body camera footage reaching toward his passenger seat.

Thai then walked away from the car as Hampton drove away slowly and fired his rifle, Walsh said.

Gillihan was seen on his body camera footage moving away from the gunshots and behind a fence before he fired seven rounds from a Glock 17 9mm handgun.

In keeping with standard procedure, Gillihan was placed on paid leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Walsh said Hampton shot his mother-in-law in the leg, but she is expected to recover.

Metro also released footage from Hampton’s arrest, near the parking lot of the CVS at 2424 East Desert Inn Road. Hampton was brought down by K-9 Diko and arrested, police said.

Hampton faces a charge of murder with a deadly weapon, four counts of attempted murder, and one count each of battery with a deadly weapon and domestic battery. He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

At a vigil Saturday night, Thai, who had been with the department since 1999, was remembered as a mentor, coach and brother. He also had a 19-year-old daughter, Jada.

“This is not something that any police department should ever have to go through,” Walsh said Monday. “It’s the reality of what police officers, not just in our community, but across the country face every day.”

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.