Man shot, killed by Henderson police had airsoft gun, report says

A man who was the first person fatally shot by Henderson police this year had pointed an airsoft gun at them before the shooting, according to information police released Wednesday.

On June 24, officers responded to a bus stop near Sunset and Boulder Highway around 7:10 a.m. after 53-year-old Steven Brucker tried to steal a Monster energy drink from a nearby Terrible’s gas station.

Body-worn camera footage showed two officers talking with Brucker as he sat at a bus stop with a backpack on his lap. Brucker appeared to be looking through his bag as officers told him to stop. As an officer tapped Brucker on the arm, Brucker pulled out what appeared to be a handgun and held it to his head yelling “Get back!”

Brucker walked away from officers and toward the entrance to Desert Sands RV Park.

“He’s telling us to shoot him,” an officer said over police radio also released Wednesday.

Officers told dispatch that they could not tell if the gun Brucker had was real or fake.

“Sir, drop the gun. We want to help,” an officer yelled to Brucker.

Deputy Chief Jonathan Boucher said Officer Tyler Travers fired at Brucker when Brucker pointed the firearm at officers.

Brucker died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, according to the Clark County coroner’s office, from multiple gunshot wounds.

Boucher said Brucker had multiple felony warrants but did not say on what charges. Brucker’s firearm was determined to be a UMC airsoft gun that Boucher described as having a realistic appearance.

Henderson police have not disclosed what type of firearm Travers used or how many times he shot Brucker.

Travers was arrested on domestic violence charges in 2019, but the case was later dismissed. According to a Henderson police arrest report, Travers grabbed a woman’s hair during an argument. The woman later told officers she wanted Travers to get help for his anger issues.

The department said the incident was the first police shooting of 2023.

The information released Wednesday was posted in a 12-minute YouTube video, instead of presenting it to the media during a press conference where questions could be asked of the department.

Henderson police did not immediately respond to an additional question about the radio communications released Wednesday.

In March, 53-year-old Ronald Winborne died while in custody after being tased and tackled by Henderson officers. His death was ruled a homicide by the coroner’s office.

Winborne’s death and the department’s role in it was not released until May 16.

Contact David Wilson at dwilson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @davidwilson_RJ on Twitter.