Man fatally shot by officer was gang member, Metro says

The man shot and killed by a Las Vegas police officer over the weekend was a gang member and ex-convict from Southern California, the department said Tuesday.

James Marcus Brown III was a member of both the Fudgetown Mafia Crips and Dime Blocc Crips out of Lancaster, Calif. Metro Undersheriff Kevin McMahill said during a press conference about the shooting.

Brown, 25, was killed Saturday about 3:30 a.m. near the intersection of Losee Road and Cheyenne Boulevard in North Las Vegas.

Police initially got involved after a woman called from the Siegel Slots and Suites, 5011 E. Craig Road, saying someone had snatched her phone from her hand and fled in a gold-colored car, McMahill said.

After tracking a gold Buick LeSabre briefly, officers pulled over the car and its three occupants near Losee and Cheyenne, McMahill said.

Two of the people inside were taken into custody without incident, McMahill said.

But Brown bolted from the car, ran through a Denny's parking lot and into the wash that runs along the eastern side of Losee, McMahill said. Officers saw Brown drop and then pick up a gun before he took off.

Officer Walter Young, 33, gave chase, McMahill said. Young tried to use a Taser on Brown, but said it was "ineffective." McMahill said it's unclear if the prongs completely missed or just did not penetrate Brown's clothing.

After running for about 160 yards through the wash, Brown slowed. He turned his upper body around the left side and pointed his pistol at Young from about hip-high, McMahill said.

Young then fired two shots, both of which hit Brown in the mid-to-upper left back, and exited from Brown's right side, McMahill said.

After the two shots, Brown shouted "Don't shoot me again. I'm not going to run anymore," and then fell to the ground, McMahill said. Young ran over to provide medical aid to him, but Brown died after being taken to University Medical Center.

The location of the entry and exit wounds, which the coroner said show that Brown was shot while turning or quartering towards the officer, are consistent with how Young described the shooting, McMahill said.

Brown had no criminal record in Nevada but had several felony convictions in Los Angeles County.

Young remains on routine paid administrative leave while Metro conducts an internal investigation into the shooting.

This was the ninth officer-involved shooting for Las Vegas police this year. There were 14 Metro shootings at the same point last year.

Contact reporter Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Find him on Twitter: @ColtonLochhead