Henderson Police confer at the scene of an officer-involved shooting in the Green Valley Plaza at Green Valley Parkway and Sunset Road in Henderson Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019.
Published Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019 | 11:55 a.m.
Updated Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019 | 4:50 p.m.
Henderson Police opened fire on a man wielding a knife this morning outside a business in 2700 block of North Green Valley Parkway, near Sunset Road, Police Chief Thedrick Andres said.
The suspect, the third person shot by Henderson officers in unrelated incidents since Tuesday, was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, Andres said. He was later identified as John Watson, 37.
This was the agency’s eighth officer-involved shooting of the year.
A patron of the business called 911 about 8 a.m. to report an armed suspect declaring “get someone here right away; I’m going to stab someone,” said Andres, citing a preliminary investigation.
Officers arrived and found the suspect outside, Andres said. As the suspect was “advancing” toward the officers, at least one of them opened fire, Andres said. Andres did not provide further details, but praised his officers’ quick response and the fact that no one else was injured.
Watson faces one count of assault with a deadly weapon on a protected person, police said. The officer who pulled the trigger was placed on routine paid administrative leave.
Andres acknowledged the string of officer-involved shootings are tough on everyone.
An officer on Tuesday shot a suspect police said tried to stab an officer outside a sports bar in the 600 block of South Boulder Highway. Israel Valle-Lopez, who was stabilized at the hospital, faces one felony count of assault on a protected person with a deadly weapon.
A stolen motorcycle investigation in the 300 block of Cannes Street on Thursday escalated into a shootout between Henderson officers and Daniel Thornburg, who was critically injured, police said.
Thornburg faces five counts of attempted murder of a protected person and one count each of possession of a stolen firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm, police said.
