Las Vegas police release video of 93-year-old shooting suspect
A 93-year-old man who shot an apartment complex maintenance worker last week, prompting Las Vegas police to fire at him, was apparently upset over water damage and flooding in his unit.
The Metropolitan Police Department on Monday released further details and video footage of the shooting, which took place Thursday morning in the leasing office of Vista Del Valle apartments, 4051 W. Viking Road. The video was captured by body and security cameras inside the leasing office.
The footage showed the gunman, previously identified as Robert Thomas, entering the leasing office wearing a black coat and a black hat. Shortly after stepping in the doorway, Thomas pulled out a black 9 mm handgun.
A woman sitting at a desk near the door stood up and called 911 after Thomas shot a computer on the other side of the room.
Thomas eventually let the woman leave the office, but while she was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher, Thomas shot the maintenance worker in the right leg, the footage showed.
Officer Ronald Hornyak, 45, and his partner arrived just as Thomas shot the worker again, this time in the left leg.
Hornyak fired one round from his handgun through the glass door. The round pierced the lapel of Thomas’ jacket but did not strike him, police said Monday.
Thomas, who has no criminal history, was pulled through the doorway and taken into custody shortly after Hornyak shot at him.
Both the maintenance worker and Thomas, who suffered a cut on his head while being taken into custody, were taken to University Medical Center.
They were both treated and released Friday, and police said the maintenance worker is recovering well at home.
Thomas was being held at the Clark County Detention Center on charges of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, kidnapping with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, burglary with a gun, and discharging a gun inside a structure or prohibited area.
Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter. Review-Journal staff writer Alexis Egeland contributed to this report.
