Suspect in weekend shooting of Las Vegas cop is a juvenile

Authorities have released little information about the suspect in the weekend shooting of a Las Vegas police officer because of a legal complication: he's a juvenile.

Juvenile courts and their records operate under heightened confidentiality. Information that typically is readily available in a case against an adult may not become public at first for juveniles.

Currently, the boy accused in the shooting — who has not been publicly identified by name or age — is "being handled by the juvenile system," a spokeswoman for the Clark County district's attorney office said.

But that could change if he is charged as an adult in the Sunday shooting, which left one officer hospitalized with a wounded hand.

The officer is expected to recover.

Formal charges have yet to be filed, but Metro Undersheriff Kevin McMahill said Sunday that he anticipates at least two counts of attempted murder in connection with the shooting.

Nevada law says a district attorney can try people 13 or older as adults if they're being charged with murder or attempted murder.

Metro is scheduled to talk with journalists about the shooting Wednesday morning.

The shooting happened just after noon at the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Nellis Boulevard. A pair of officers were responding to a call about a disturbance at a 99 Cents Only store, 4910 E. Tropicana Ave.

While stopped at a red light, Metro said, someone opened fire on the officers' patrol car.

The officer sitting in the passenger seat was hit in the right hand, police said. Both officers got out of the car, and one pulled a passerby out of the line of fire.

Meanwhile, the shooter ran, and the officer who wasn't shot chased him, police said. During the pursuit, the shooter dropped the gun and surrendered.

The officer who was shot was taken to University Medical Center for his wound. Neither officer has been identified.

It's unclear if the shooter was involved in the original disturbance call.

Metro officers have been doubled up on patrol since Friday, when Officer Jeremy Robertson, 37, was shot in his upper right leg while investigating a prowler call. He had emergency surgery but is expected to recover.

Las Vegas police leadership also will offer more information Wednesday on that shooting.

Having two officers ride together is a common practice after an officer has been shot.

A total of four Metro have been wounded by gunfire in the past two months.

The Metropolitan Police Department on Tuesday referred to the weekend shooting as an "ambush."

But Undershiff McMahill on Sunday said the shooting was not part of the so-called "war on police," alluding to shootings of officers throughout the U.S. in recent months. He doesn't believe there is a war.

It's been a "rough time," he said, but most people support the police. That brings "solace" to the force.

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