Henderson Police investigate an officer-involved shooting at Galleria Road and Boulder Highway Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020.
Published Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020 | 2:28 p.m.
Updated Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020 | 3:09 p.m.
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A suspect in a kidnapping and robbery shot by a Henderson Police officer last week was not holding a gun at the time, contradicting initial reports, authorities said.
“During the initial news briefing, it was reported that the suspect exited his vehicle with a firearm in his hand, which resulted in the officer-involved shooting,” Henderson Police said in a news release today.
“Through the course of the investigation, it was determined that the suspect did not exit the vehicle armed with a firearm,” the release said. He was still in the car at the time of the shooting, police said.
Police did not offer any other explanation for what prompted the shooting.
The suspect, David Flores Jr., was struck seven times, police said. He was taken to an area hospital, where he remains in stable condition and is expected to survive, police said.
Officers responded about 6:10 p.m. Thursday to the area of Boulder Highway and Lake Mead Parkway to investigate a report of a kidnapping and armed robbery, police said.
A man called 911 and reported he had just escaped a kidnapping, Lt. John Plunkett said during an initial briefing. The caller provided a description of a vehicle and the suspect, whom he said was armed, Plunkett said.
Police spotted a vehicle matching the description and tried to pull it over, but the driver sped away and crashed at Galleria Drive, Plunkett said.
Plunkett originally said the man was shot after getting out of the vehicle with a gun in his hand.
Today, police said the suspect discarded the gun before the crash. A loaded gun was found on the road along the path of the chase, police said.
Investigators believe it is the gun used in the kidnapping and robbery and which “the officer saw in the suspect’s hand during the vehicle pursuit,” police said.
Flores faces counts including kidnapping, robbery, attempted robbery and possession of a firearm by an ex-felon, police said.
He also faces a count of assault on a protected person with a deadly weapon, police said without elaborating on the circumstances surrounding the count.
“We will continue to investigate all the facts and circumstances surrounding this incident diligently and will provide any significant updates as they become available,” police said in a statement.
The officer involved in the shooting, six-year veteran Scott Alward, is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, police said.
