Reno shooting leaves two men dead, one wounded

RENO -- Police were trying to figure out Wednesday what prompted an exchange of gunfire that left two men dead and a third in serious condition after an argument at the Reno home of one victim.

The incident began when two men confronted a 72-year-old man at his home about 7:30 a.m., Reno Police Lt. Mike Whan said.

"Shots were fired during this argument. We are not sure at this point who fired the shots first."

The elderly homeowner, Clarence Johnson, was fatally shot. Both of the other men were shot.

Whan said he suspected the three men knew each other, because there was no sign of forced entry at the home. Police were awaiting a search warrant to investigate further inside the home.

"We don't see any indication it was a burglary gone bad. I think there was some type of known association," he told KOLO-TV in Reno.

The two men fled in Johnson's black Toyota pickup and were involved in a traffic accident before the driver of the car eventually died from his gunshot wound, Whan said.

The passenger, who also was shot, fled the scene.

Police found a trail of blood and followed it to the man's apartment, where he was tending to a gunshot wound. He was taken to a Reno area hospital.