Henderson man died of gunshot wound to neck

The man shot and killed Saturday during a standoff with Henderson police died from a gunshot wound to the neck, according to the Clark County coroner's office.

Richie Nolton, 42, was shot by police after he came out of the house waving a handgun and refusing to put it down, police said.

The officer who fired the fatal shot was identified Tuesday as Brian Pollard, who was hired by the department in 1994.

The standoff began after officers surrounded Nolton's house at 618 Severn St., near East Horizon Drive and Greenway Road. Police said they were responding to a domestic dispute at the home about 6:50 a.m.

A neighbor and a friend of Nolton questioned the officers' handling of the situation. Keith Nieto, 30, told the Review-Journal on Sunday that Nolton's teenage son asked Nieto to mediate the situation with police. Nieto said Nolton never would have harmed an officer or his son.

"I just want everybody to know the guy was a great guy," he said. "He would never hurt anybody."

Nieto, who heard what happened while in his home next door, said he never heard police ask Nolton to "put the gun down." Police said officers did ask for Nolton to drop the weapon, and a witness corroborated the officers' version of events.

A Clark County coroner's inquest will be held to determine whether Pollard's actions were justified, excusable or criminal. A date for the inquest has not yet been set.

Pollard has been placed on routine administrative leave pending the outcome of the inquest.

Contact reporter Mike Blasky at mblasky@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283. Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.