WEEK IN REVIEW: Top news
In a scene bizarre even by Las Vegas standards, police shot and killed a chimpanzee and captured another after the animals escaped Thursday from a home in the northwest valley.
Residents near Jones Boulevard and Ann Road reported to police that the chimps were acting aggressively. The animals were seen climbing onto and beating on vehicles, including a patrol car, a police spokesman said.
Police received a call about 10:15 a.m. Thursday that two dangerous and agitated chimpanzees were on the loose near Jones Boulevard and Ann Road.
The chimpanzees escaped from their enclosure at a residence in the 5700 block of Rowland Avenue.
Monday
New approach to force
Las Vegas police unveiled a new use of force policy that Sheriff Doug Gillespie said should reduce shootings by his officers and improve the department’s relationship with the community.
The new policy, which emphasizes that officers “respect the value of every human life” and advises officers to de-escalate potentially dangerous situations, is part of a six-month review by the agency in the wake of a number of controversial shootings and an investigative series by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
This marks the first overhaul of the department’s use of force policy since the 1990s.
Tuesday
Berkley pressing on
Rep. Shelley Berkley said she has no plans to alter her campaign for U.S. Senate despite falling under a House ethics investigation that figures to linger through Election Day.
On Monday, the House Ethics Committee announced it was forming an investigative subcommittee to probe allegations that the Las Vegas Democrat used her official position to further the business interests of her husband, Dr. Larry Lehrner.
Wednesday
Arrests in boy’s death
A year after a 5-year-old Las Vegas boy died – apparently from injuries suffered as a newborn – Las Vegas police arrested his mother and her ex-husband and charged them with murder.
Monique Bork, 26, was arrested in connection to the death of her son Brayden Bork, who died of what police said were injuries from physical abuse in August 2006. Police also arrested Edward Thompson, 32, who was dating Bork at the time the abuse is alleged to have taken place.
After Brayden died on July 11, 2011, the Clark County coroner ruled the death a homicide.
Thursday
Man falls from bridge
A man fell to his death from the Hoover Dam bypass bridge as police tried to talk him out of jumping.
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation spokeswoman Rose Davis said the man climbed over the bridge’s walkway rail and hung from it about 10:30 a.m., prompting authorities to close the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge as officers from the Las Vegas and Hoover Dam police departments tried to help him.
The man fell to his death about two hours later.
Friday
A City without a chief
The North Las Vegas Fire Department, short-staffed and suffering temporary closures of some fire stations over budget issues, is now without a chief or a deputy chief.
City Manager Tim Hacker said he placed Fire Chief Al Gillespie on administrative leave pending further investigation into a training accident in January that the fire department was responsible for.
Two weeks ago, Deputy Chief Kevin Brame was laid off.
Assistant Chief Jeff Buchanan has been named acting chief.
The city’s firefighters union said Hacker’s explanation for Gillespie’s leave does not ring true.
NUMBERS15
The number of hours — from 9 a.m. to midnight — the temperature lingered above 100 in Las Vegas on Tuesday. The high was 114, tying a record for the date.
$3.2 million
The estimated value of a three-story yacht — complete with a helicopter pad — that sank early last week at a South Lake Tahoe marina.
10 percent
The decline in Nevada gaming revenues in May, despite increased visitor traffic. Analysts said the revenue drop looks worse than it is because May 2011 was so good.
7
Number of gunshots a witness claims to have heard from County Commissioner Tom Collins’ property on July 3. Collins is under investigation in connection with the incident.
QUOTES
“We choose to turn our heads away from evil and acknowledge the good things in this world. We choose to be strong and move forward.”
Arturo Martinez, victim of claw hammer attack who said Thursday that his faith requires him to forgive the man accused of murdering his wife and daughter in one of the worst crimes in recent Las Vegas history.
“He killed a kid. He killed my sister.”
Cristopher Martinez, Arturo’s 9-year-old son, who said it won’t be easy to follow his father’s lesson of forgiveness.
“Mitt Romney wants you to show your papers, but he won’t show us his.”
Vice President Joe Biden, speaking to Hispanic activists in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
“Other than acting opposite Robert De Niro, this was the most sphincter-tightening situation that I’ve ever been in.”
Kevin Pollak, actor and comedian, after he survived the opening round of the $10,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em World Championship of poker at the Rio.
www.lvrj.com/multimedia
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■ SLIDE SHOW: USA Basketball hosts Hoops for Troops skills clinic at Nellis Air Force Base
■ SLIDE SHOW: August grads
■ SLIDE SHOW and VIDEO: Vice President Joe Biden courts Hispanic activists
