Victim ID’d in first 2019 homicide investigated by Las Vegas police

The Clark County coroner’s office has identified the man who died after a shooting early Tuesday, which marked Las Vegas homicide detectives’ first investigation of 2019.

Raymond Biroth, 41, of Las Vegas died from a gunshot wound to his abdomen, the Clark County coroner’s office said Wednesday afternoon.

Police were called at about 12:15 a.m. Tuesday to the 5900 block of Boulder Highway, near East Tropicana Avenue, after reports that a man in this 40s collapsed in the road, Metropolitan Police Department homicide Lt. Ray Spencer said Tuesday.

Officers found two injured men at the scene, with one suffering from at least one gunshot wound and the other with substantial facial injuries, including a broken nose and a possible broken cheek bone, Spencer said at the scene.

Biroth was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where he died. The other man, whom police did not identify, also was hospitalized.

Spencer said detectives believed the shooting was in self-defense. The case will be submitted to the district attorney’s office for review, per policy in self-defense homicides, he said.

Police believe the shooter had plans to meet a woman in the parking lot of a business near Boulder Highway and Bend Street. When he arrived on his motorcycle, he found Biroth and the woman arguing. The man attempted to gather the woman’s belongings so they could leave, Spencer said Tuesday.

Biroth then “began to engage him in a fight,” Spencer said.

During the fight, the man opened fire, hitting Biroth. The 41-year-old attempted to run but collapsed in the road, and the woman left the scene before officers arrived, Spencer said.

A previous version of this story incorrectly reported the circumstances leading up to what police said was a self-defense shooting. Police believe the shooter had plans to meet a woman.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.