Sources identify inmate in Las Vegas officer-involved shooting

A Las Vegas officer shot a Clark County Detention Center prisoner who escaped after a medical appointment and led police on a chase Wednesday morning in the central valley.

The inmate stole a pickup, hit multiple cars at the intersection of Vegas Valley Drive and Maryland Parkway, and drew police into a pursuit that ended when he ran out of gas downtown, Metropolitan Police Department Capt. Nichole Splinter told news media at the scene.

Multiple courthouse sources have identified the man, whose sentencing was scheduled for Wednesday, as Gregory Ganci. Jail records list him as 52-year-old Christopher Ganci, and court documents also identify him as Christopher Gregory Ganci.

He was to be sentenced on five counts, including robbery and kidnapping for his role in an April 16 robbery, according to an indictment.

The shooting happened a little before 9 a.m. in the parking lot of Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging, 2950 S. Maryland Parkway, between East Sahara Avenue and East Desert Inn Road, Metro spokesman Larry Hadfield said.

Still in shackles

A Metro officer escorted the prisoner to the medical facility for a “routine procedure,” Splinter said. His escape efforts began as the two were leaving the facility to head back to the jail, police said. A pickup pulled up outside the facility, and two men got out while the truck was still running.

“At which point, the suspect took that opportunity to break free from the officer and jump into that vehicle and pull back and attempt to escape” via Maryland Parkway, Splinter said. The officer fired at the truck three times as it sped through the parking lot, hitting the man once in the shoulder, police said.

The inmate, still wearing belly chains and shackles, rammed the pickup into the back of a car at Vegas Valley and Maryland, causing a four-car crash, police said. He then drove around the cars and fled toward downtown, followed by police. After the pickup ran out of gas, police took him into custody near Main Street and Carson Avenue.

He was hospitalized at University Medical Center for his gunshot wound and is expected to survive, police said. No other significant injuries were reported.

The pickup “participates in mobile car wash detailing” and doesn’t appear to be connected to the inmate, Splinter said. The pickup driver told police he had a gun in the truck, Splinter said, adding that police were still investigating that claim.

Criminal history

Ganci was found guilty on Feb. 6 of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, first-degree kidnapping with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery with a deadly weapon and battery with a deadly weapon, court documents show.

An indictment accused Ganci and Amanda Jean Smith of the April robbery. Smith pleaded guilty to robbery with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to between three and eight years behind bars, records show.

A second indictment from earlier this year accused Ganci, William Johnson and “unknown co-conspirators” of trying to intimidate the victim in the April robbery by showing up to his house between Jan. 1 and Feb. 6.

They were each indicted on charges of preventing or dissuading a witness from testifying or producing evidence, conspiracy to prevent a witness from testifying, bribing or intimidating a witness and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Both Ganci and Johnson have a jury trial scheduled for April 29 in that case, records indicate.

Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging released a statement, saying the Maryland Parkway facility was on lockdown per Metro’s request. A spokeswoman later confirmed the lockdown had been lifted about 3 p.m. and the facility had resumed normal operations.

“We are cooperating fully with Metro regarding an incident that occurred today outside our facility on Maryland Parkway,” according to the statement from Steinberg Chief Operating Officer Jerry Hartman.

The facility will contact all patients with missed appointments as soon as possible to reschedule, the statement said. “We apologize for this inconvenience. As always, safety is our first priority.”

At the scene Wednesday, at least three sedans in the northbound lanes at the intersection appeared to be damaged. A marked detention van was parked near the crash.

Streets near the Regional Justice Center in downtown Las Vegas were temporarily closed Wednesday morning because of police activity, including portions of Main Street, East Bridger, Ogden and Carson avenues, according to court information officer Mary Ann Price.

Meanwhile, Metro officers were staged at the Golden Nugget, just northwest of the courthouse, and were seen surrounding a white pickup. An officer at that scene said the pursuit related to the officer-involved shooting ended at the hotel-casino.

The police shooting marked the department’s seventh this year.

Metro will release the identity of the officer who shot the man after 48 hours and will provide additional details at a briefing.

Maryland Parkway was closed near Vegas Valley as Metro investigated.

Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290. Follow @mike_shoro on Twitter. Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter. Review-Journal staff reporter David Ferrara and photographer Bizu Tesfaye contributed to this report.