Suspect in shooting of three police officers says he’s not a ‘vendetta cop-killer’

After being arrested for shooting three SWAT officers, Emmanuel Dozier sat in the back of a police patrol vehicle Sunday night.

After a while, he asked to speak to somebody about what had happened.

A Las Vegas police narcotics detective opened the car door and asked what he needed.

"I want you to know something in your heart," Dozier told the detective, according to his arrest report. "I did not mean to shoot any cops."

The detective replied that he wanted to believe him.

"Please know in your heart," Dozier pleaded again, "I did not mean to shoot the cops."

Dozier was being investigated by Las Vegas police for weeks leading up to the shooting. Undercover narcotics detectives had purchased small amounts of cocaine from Dozier at his Seven Hills home in Henderson three times in December.

Reached at the Clark County Detention Center on Tuesday, the 32-year-old father and sheet metal worker refused to answer any questions, but said he didn't have anything against police.

"I'm not a vendetta cop-killer," he said.

The shooting might indeed have been unintended. After the incident, Dozier told police he believed it was a home invasion, according to his arrest report. His girlfriend called 911 to report that their home was being broken into, according to her lawyer.

Dozier made his first court appearance via teleconference Tuesday morning in Henderson Justice Court, where he was read the charges against him — three counts of attempted murder on a police officer and three counts of possession of a controlled substance.

His bail was set at more than $3 million.

On Dec. 7, 9 and 21, detectives arrived at his home, at 2972 Panorama Ridge Drive, and purchased cocaine from Dozier, according to Dozier's arrest report.

Police obtained a search warrant for the home and planned to serve it Sunday night. Because of the histories of Dozier and a man associated with him, it was decided that SWAT officers would serve the warrant.

In 1996, Dozier was arrested for second-degree robbery and convicted of felony evading a police officer in California, according to the arrest report. The man associated with Dozier, 29-year-old Quincy Dunlap, has a criminal history involving weapons in California, according to the report.

When they arrived to serve the warrant at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, police said three SWAT officers announced that they were officers serving a search warrant.

When there was no response from inside the home, the officers attempted to breach the metal security door. Officer Jacinto Rivera said the officers fired a special type of round designed to break metal locks. On Tuesday, the door appeared to have been shot around the lock at least three times.

The officers were then shot from inside the house, according to the report. All three were hit in the thigh, according to Deputy Chief Joseph Lombardo. One of them was also struck in the hand. They did not fire back.

Dozier eventually surrendered to police. The other people inside the home were Dozier's 33-year-old girlfriend, Belinda Saavedra, her 13-year-old daughter and the couple's 3-month-old son.

Deputy Chief Joseph Lombardo said police found a small amount of marijuana in the home and some drug paraphernalia, but no cocaine.

Dozier told police after the shooting he "wasn't sure" it was police at the door and thought the raid was a home invasion, his arrest report states.

Saavedra's lawyer, Vicki Greco, said Saavedra called 911 twice during the incident — once to report that her home was being broken into and second, after Dozier shot at police, to alert police that they were coming out peacefully.

Rivera confirmed that Saavedra called 911, but he didn't know how many times.

Greco contends police never identified themselves before Dozier shot them. Police and Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie deny that.

The two children and Saavedra's 12-year-old daughter have been placed in protective custody. Saavedra will attempt to regain custody during a family court hearing today.

Greco said Saavedra has been unduly punished by having her children taken from her.

"My client hasn't been charged with anything," Greco said. "She wasn't arrested. Her children weren't in any harm. If anybody put these kids in danger it was the police."

Greco said Saavedra also disputes police's claim that marijuana was found in the home.

"No charges of marijuana possession were brought against her or him," Greco said.

The image of Dozier as a drug dealer doesn't sit right with his next-door neighbor, 49-year-old Mike Henry.

"There's been some kind of huge mistake made from the get-go," Henry said. "The bottom line is the guy isn't a drug dealer and he doesn't do drugs."

Henry said he got Dozier a job with a local sheet metal union and held him in high regard. He believes the incident was a case of mistaken identity.

"It just doesn't make sense. No way. There's something just plain wrong," he said.

Dozier also complained Tuesday that police gave him a black eye around his right eye while he was being arrested.

Lombardo confirmed that the black eye was caused by an officer who was arresting Dozier. He said while an officer was attempting to put Dozier in handcuffs, Dozier began to resist arrest and another officer struck Dozier in the face with his forearm while trying to force him to the ground.

Lombardo said a use of force report was filed in the case and the officer's superiors will review it.

Review-Journal writers Antonio Planas, Brian Haynes, David Kihara and Lynnette Curtis contributed to this report.

Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440.