Fatally shot man was in domestic dispute, LV police say

Las Vegas police said a man fatally shot late Thursday inside a central valleyapartmentcomplexwasthe aggressor in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend before the shooting.

A security guard saw another man shoot the boyfriend and called 911 about 10 p.m. Metropolitan Police Department responded to 211 Mission Laguna Lane, near South Decatur Boulevard and U.S. Highway 95.

Homicide Lt. Dan Mcgrath said the dispute between the man, in his 50s, and his longtime girlfriend started inside an apartment.

“She has some obvious injuries,” said Mcgrath, noting she was bleeding from the mouth.

Police said she escaped into the parking lot, where another man she knew was sitting inside his car. The boyfriend came over and screamed at the woman and man. The man got out of his car and fought with the boyfriend. The man told the boyfriend to back up or he’d get shot. The man then shot him once in the chest. He stumbled back and fell. He died there within 10 minutes.

Detectives were unsure whether to arrest the shooter. Police had detained him but did not arrest him overnight.

Detectives planned to send the case to the Clark County district attorney’s office, which would determine whether to charge the man.

The couple had a history of domestic violence, Mcgrath said..

Standing outside the complex and near the couple’s apartment about midnight Friday, Mcgrath said, “From what we’ve heard so far, at least somebody from over here could’ve called 911 a little bit earlier.”

It wasn’t clear how well the shooter and woman knew each other. He lived at the complex.

The apartment door appeared to have been kicked in or damaged on Thursday, said Mcgrath, adding the door was already held on by screws. The man killed had the door latch with him. Mcgrath said he wasn’t sure why.

The Clark County coroner’s office will identify the deceased once next of kin is notified.

Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@ reviewjournal.com. Follow @mike_ shoro on Twitter. Review-journal staff writer Rachel Crosby contributed to this story.