Second person dies after being restrained by police

A person who was taking numerous unknown medications and acting erratically died Wednesday night after a Las Vegas police officer “applied a lateral vascular neck restraint” in an attempt to subdue the person, police said today.

It was the second person to die after being detained by the Metropolitan Police Department since an unrelated incident on Sunday night.

Wednesday's incident occurred about 6:22 p.m. in the 7700 block of Scoby Court, near Buffalo Drive and Tropicana Avenue.

Police didn’t mention the gender of the subject, but a neighbor said it was a man.

Neighbor Alexander Martinez said the man, whose name is Dustin or Dusty, had lived in the house for a few months. He was in his 20s, weighed about 300 pounds and a was frequent smoker, Martinez said.

A state social worker called police and advised them that the man was not taking his medication. When police arrived, the social worker told them he might have turned on gas valves inside the residence. The officers then began speaking to the man, who continued to behave erratically, police said.

After speaking to the subject for one hour, one of the officers located a rear door that was open and entered the home, police said.

The subject began “violently resisting officers,” and one officer applied a neck restraint, police said.

After the arrest, the man stopped breathing. Medical personnel administered aid and transported him to a hospital where he died.

Police also announced Thursday that a 47-year-old man who was “combative” died Sunday night after police tried to subdue him.

Daniel Morantes died about 6:22 at a residence in the 500 block of North 14th Street, near Bruce Street and Bonanza Road, where a fight between roommates involving a knife was reported, police said.

Police said Morantes acted erratically when officers arrived. He was subdued by the officers but stopped breathing after paramedics arrived. He later died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

Police plan to hold a press conference later this afternoon to discuss these incidents.

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Contact reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279.