Newly released video shows explosion at Piero’s Italian Cuisine
Newly released video shows the early morning explosion at Piero’s Italian Cuisine last month.
Two heavily covered people approach the restaurant, one on foot and one on a scooter in the video released Monday by the Clark County District Court. One places a dark object in front of the door to the business. The two then flee and the device explodes.
Clark County grand jurors have indicted 35-year-old John Navarro, 34-year-old Sarah Hernandez and 54-year-old Phillip Gonzales in connection with the Nov. 13 explosion.
Prosecutors have said a fourth suspect was arrested in Arizona.
Metropolitan Police Department counterterrorism Detective Raymond Richardson testified to grand jurors that the object the suspects had was a red gas can wrapped in black tape. One of them lit a fuse and when the device detonated, liquid appeared to flow from it, he said.
The bomb could have “burned Piero’s to the ground” had it contained less fuel, Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Schwartzer previously said in court.
Metro Sergeant David Milewski testified the explosion damaged the door of Piero’s and the ceiling above the door. It also charred the ground, he said.
“This was an improvised explosive device,” he told grand jurors. “There was a suspected pipe bomb that was contained within a five-gallon gas can.”
Milewski said detectives discovered packaging for a fuse and mortar tube during a search of Navarro’s residence.
Richardson said investigators found body camera footage from a traffic stop before the bombing showing a man wearing a checkered flannel jacket similar to what one of the bombers wore. That driver was Navarro, he testified.
Cell phone data also indicated Navarro was near the explosion, Richardson said.
Authorities do not believe Gonzales was present for the explosion, but his DNA was found on components of the bomb, Schwartzer has said. He and Hernandez also went to a fireworks store in Moapa to purchase bomb supplies, according to the prosecutor.
Detective Frank Rycraft told the grand jury he examined data from Hernandez’s phone. She had a map of the trip from Las Vegas to Moapa and photos of Metro’s news briefing outside the restaurant, he indicated.
Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.
