Man who was shot dead New Year Day identified by coroner

The man who was shot and killed early Thursday morning east of downtown Las Vegas was identified Sunday by the Clark County coroner’s office.

Kendral Leonard Earl Anderson, 26, died of a gunshot wound to the head early New Year’s Day, the coroner’s office said.

Las Vegas police responded about 2 a.m. Thursday to 841 N. Bruce St., near East Washington Avenue, where they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound inside an apartment.

Initial investigations indicated that there had been an earlier fight in the same area, according to a press release Thursday from Metro. The family of one of the persons involved in the fight returned to the residence to try to confront one of the other people possibly involved in the fight.

The family members confronted two people outside of the apartment and a second fight broke out. The two people who had been outside the apartment ran inside and a man from the family forced his way inside, armed with a gun, police said in the release.

The man who forced entry was shot to death in what appeared to be self-defense, the release said. He was taken to University Medical Center where he later died.

Anderson’s death was ruled a homicide by the coroner’s office. His city of residence was unknown Sunday, the coroner’s office said.

Several people were being interviewed, but the shooter was not identified Thursday, police said.

Metro’s homicide unit is investigating the shooting. This was the first homicide in Metro’s jurisdiction in 2015.

Contact Kimber Laux at klaux@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find her on Twitter: @lauxkimber.