A man shot and killed his mother before seizing a police cruiser and carjacking multiple bystanders at gunpoint. This resulted in a police chase that concluded with the death of both a bystander and the suspect, as reported by authorities in Las Vegas.
The police did not immediately identify the bystander killed. Karen Lopez informed The Associated Press that her husband, 39-year-old Jerry Lopez, the father of their seven young children, was the victim.
He had recently departed home for work and was pulling over to allow emergency vehicles to pass when the suspect shot him. Subsequently, the assailant dragged his lifeless body out of the van.
The suspect and his mother remained unidentified, with the police indicating plans to release more information in the upcoming days. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, approached by USA TODAY, declined to offer additional details.
ALSO READ: Jury Finds Tacoma Police Officers Not Guilty of 2020 Death of Black Man in Police Custody
Responding to reports of shots fired around 3:46 a.m. on Wednesday in a suburb just outside Las Vegas, Capt. Joshua Martinez stated that Las Vegas and state police heard shots and took cover. During the incident, a police car was struck by gunfire.
The suspect took off in an unoccupied police car, prompting a chase through the suburbs. Eventually, he abandoned the police car and carjacked an individual in a truck at gunpoint, fleeing in the stolen truck.
Later on, he abandoned the stolen truck and forcibly took control of another person’s SUV. Pointing a gun at the individual in the SUV, the suspect prompted a police officer to open fire. Despite this, the suspect managed to escape in the stolen SUV.
POLL — Should the Government Increase Taxes on the Wealthy To Reduce Economic Inequality?
During the pursuit by the police, the suspect left the stolen SUV and threatened the driver of a van with his gun. According to the news release, officers heard a shot. Martinez mentioned that officers witnessed the suspect removing an injured person from the truck, who was later pronounced dead.
The suspect fled in the van while officers fired shots. Shortly after, the van came to a stop, and SWAT officers approached, finding the suspect dead. It remains unclear whether the suspect was killed by police gunfire.
Jerry Lopez, survived by his wife Karen and their seven children, was the father of seven, with six adopted after being fostered, according to his wife. The couple, married for 13 years, had fostered 12 children since 2017.
ALSO READ: Police Arrest a Troubled Man For Firing Shots Outside a Jewish Temple
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Karen Lopez shared that she and the children are grappling with the senseless loss. She revealed that their 11-year-old keeps texting his father’s phone, expressing his love amid the heartbreaking situation.
“He was such an amazing father to our kids,” Karen Lopez told the AP. “He would just walk through the door after work, throw his stuff down, and jump right in it with the kids, not even taking two minutes to himself.”
You Might Also Like:
Man Shoots Instagram Influencer Wife Days After Court Grants a Restraining Order Against Him
Texas Authorities Find Missing 18-year-old Pregnant Teen Dead
Florida Teachers Union Decertified Under New Right-to-work Law
NYC Mayor Eric Adams Boots Vendors From Brooklyn Bridge
US Army Cuts Off Free Storage Benefit From Deployed Soldiers
