Man shot by Las Vegas police was wielding BB gun

Las Vegas police said the man shot by officers in the southeast valley on Sunday night was wielding a BB gun that looked like a machine gun.

Assistant Sheriff Christopher Darcy said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon that officers were called to the Siena Suites Hotel, 6555 Boulder Highway, at 7:18 p.m. Sunday for a report of an “intoxicated” man who would not turn down his music and was pointing a firearm at other residents.

The man has been identified as Jody Lucas, 42.

The officers involved in the shooting were identified Wednesday as Sgt. Justin Diebold, 36; Sgt. Stephen Trzpis, 40; Brendan Hansen, 33; Daniel Lapolla, 24; and Austin Lea, 26.

A Metropolitan Police Department helicopter flew to the area, and an officer saw Lucas standing on the third-floor balcony outside his apartment with a gun, Darcy said. Lucas went in and out of the apartment multiple times and pointed his gun at the helicopter.

According to Darcy, Diebold arrived at the scene first and waited for additional officers by the stairs when he heard Lucas say he was going to get a gun and shoot people.

Officers Lapolla and Lea joined Diebold and the group moved up to the third floor, a few doors away from Lucas’ apartment. Hansen was on a balcony of the building across from Lucas.

Lucas walked out of his apartment and yelled something to the people by the pool while pointing a gun at them, and Diebold, Lea, Lapolla and Hansen opened fire on Lucas, who was hit multiple times.

Body camera footage showed Lucas then turned to point his gun at the officers, but dropped it and ran.

He ran down to the ground floor as Trzpis was arriving at the scene. Trzpis fired three rounds and hit Lucas several times.

Darcy said the officers then performed life-saving measures, including applying two tourniquets. Lucas was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where Darcy said he remained in critical condition Wednesday.

Lucas was booked in absentia into the Clark County Detention Center and faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon on a protected person, assault with a deadly weapon, resisting a police officer with a deadly weapon and child endangerment.

Darcy said Lucas had been armed with two BB guns but did not fire any rounds.

Sergeants Diebold and Trzpis have been with the department since 2005. Officers Hansen, Lapolla and Lea have been with the department since 2017. They are all assigned to the community policing division in the southeast area command.

The police shooting was Metro’s eighth this year.

Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter. Review-Journal staff writers Alexis Egeland and Katelyn Newberg contributed to this report.