Man shot by police officer dies at UMC

The 24-year-old suspect shot by Las Vegas police during a robbery Wednesday died from his wound, authorities said.

Police were investigating whether the suspect, Ronald Neal Joseph Jr., had served in the military, including a tour in Iraq.

Police confronted Joseph after he robbed a man at gunpoint in the parking lot of a Terrible Herbst convenience store at Flamingo and Lindell roads, said Capt. James Dillon of the Las Vegas police's robbery/homicide unit.

Joseph, who had a .45 caliber handgun in his hand, moved aggressively toward officers in the parking lot, authorities said. He didn't obey officers' commands, and one officer fired three rounds, hitting Joseph once in the abdomen, police said.

Joseph, from Lake Charles, La., was taken to University Medical Center and died around 6 p.m., about four hours after the shooting.

Dillon said Joseph had an extra gun clip on him at the time of the shooting.

A Lake Charles woman who identified herself as Joseph's mother said she was aware that he had been killed by police but was confused about the circumstances surrounding his death. She said her son had served in the military.

A 24-year-old man from Lake Charles named Ronald Neal Joseph Jr. served with the Louisiana National Guard, according to the U.S. Army Human Resources Command.

The man served in Iraq and received several medals, including the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, said Shari Lawrence, spokeswoman for the human resources command in Alexandria, Va.

He also received the National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Louisiana War Cross and Louisiana General Excellence Ribbon, among other awards, Lawrence said.

The man enlisted with the National Guard in Louisiana in 2000, but it was unclear whether he served continuously, Lawrence said.

He was ordered on active duty in 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, she said.

The man left the National Guard as a private first class, Lawrence said.

Reached late Thursday, the Louisiana National Guard could not confirm that Joseph had served with the Guard.

Sharnell Williams, a high school friend of Joseph who lives in Lake Charles, said Joseph was known as the class clown.

She said she hadn't seen him in at least a year, but she added that Joseph's military service was a source of pride for residents of Lake Charles.

"People were proud that he served in the Army and served in Iraq," she said.

Another person, identified as Jaxsun3, posted a message of condolence on Joseph's page on Myspace, an online social networking site.

"R.I.P. cousin. You were always 1 of da realest. A true soldier killed in da line of duty by Las Vegas police. You will be missed," he wrote.

Authorities said Joseph had arrests in 2001 for burglary, possession of stolen property and possession and distribution of drugs.

In 2002, he was arrested for armed robbery, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, among other charges, authorities said.

In 2005, he faced burglary and other theft charges, authorities said.

April Conway, spokeswoman for the Nevada National Guard, said people can serve in the National Guard even if they have a criminal record. Even a felony conviction wouldn't necessarily exclude someone from serving, depending on what the conviction was for, she said.

A person's criminal history is generally looked at on a case-by-case basis, she said.

The officer involved in the shooting was placed on paid administrative leave and is to be identified 48 hours after the shooting, per department policy.

Review-Journal reporter Francis McCabe contributed to this story.