Man killed by police holding phone, not gun

LAS VEGAS — A man who was fatally shot by Las Vegas police while holding a cellphone that was mistaken for a gun had recently been convicted of multiple crimes in Arizona, his attorney said Saturday.

Brad Reinhart last had contact with his client, Keith Childress Jr., 23, last month when a jury was set to issue a verdict in his trial for stealing marijuana and guns from a Phoenix home in 2013. Reinhart said he texted Childress to be at the courthouse, but he never showed up.

Las Vegas police said they were assisting U.S. marshals in arresting Childress because he was accused of multiple violent felonies in Arizona including attempted murder.

According to Maricopa County Superior Court records, a jury convicted Childress on Dec. 17 of burglary, armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault and theft.

The Clark County Office of the Coroner identified Childress on Saturday and said he died from multiple gunshot wounds. His death was ruled a homicide.

The shooting occurred Thursday after Childress had been under surveillance and fled from federal authorities, Las Vegas police said in a statement.

Childress was found outside a home west of downtown. Police said his right hand held what they believed to be a firearm.

Officers told him to drop the gun and ordered him to stop when he began to move toward them. Police said two officers opened fire when Childress didn’t obey their commands. He was pronounced dead at the scene.