Officer who struck knife-wielding man with patrol vehicle identified

The police officer who on Tuesday morning struck a knife-wielding man with his patrol vehicle, killing him, has been identified. The man who died also has been identified.

Officer James Burt, 49, was identified Thursday by the Metropolitan Police Department as the officer involved in the fatality at Desert Inn Road and El Capitan Way.

The Clark County coroner’s office on Thursday identified the man who died as Dannon Bryant, 43.

Bryant, whom police did not identify by name, was in traffic near the intersection with the knife and was suspected in the stabbing death of a woman in the 8800 block of Canyon Rim Way, police said.

Burt has been employed with Metro since 2006 and works out of the west community policing division, Summerlin area command, police said.

Pending an outcome of the review of the deadly force, Burt has been put on paid administrative leave, police said.

Police said officers responded to a report at about 10:50 a.m. Tuesday of a woman being stabbed, and a man stabbing himself, at an apartment complex on the 800 block of Canyon Rim Way.

Officers found the woman suffering from apparent stab wounds, police said. She was taken to University Medical Center, where she died.

Other officers found the man on West Desert Inn Road near El Capitan Way, armed with a knife. He began walking toward occupied vehicles, police said.

A police captain at the scene on Tuesday indicated that the actions of the officer were an attempt to de-escalate the situation.

Contact Brett Clarkson at bclarkson@reviewjournal.com.