Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Suspect in stabbing death shot, killed by Henderson Police

Updated Monday, July 23, 2012 | 5:37 p.m.

Homicide suspect killed

A suspect wanted in a July 4 stabbing death was shot and killed this morning by Henderson Police after he tried to carjack a woman to evade officers, officials said.

Las Vegas resident Andy Puente Soto, 42, was shot Monday about 9:15 a.m. as a joint police taskforce composed of Henderson Police officers, Metro officers and FBI agents tried to apprehend him, authorities said.

The Criminal Apprehension Team spotted Soto driving in a white Nissan Maxima on Boulder Highway about 9:10 a.m., police said. The task force requested Henderson Police officers to conduct a routine traffic stop to execute Soto’s arrest warrant and take him into custody, police said.

Soto refused to stop, instead speeding away and making a U-turn on Boulder Highway, police said. He turned into Warm Springs Road and attempted to drive over the median, disabling his car in the process, police said

Soto then tried to carjack an elderly woman’s car as it stopped in front of Soto’s disabled car, which was partially blocking the roadway near the Jokers Wild Casino, police said. Officers called on the woman to lock her car doors and drive away, preventing Soto from getting in, police said.

Officers closed in on Soto, calling on him to surrender, police said. Soto allegedly refused to follow officers’ commands and “made aggressive, furtive movements suggesting he had a gun” by appearing to reach into his waistband, police said.

“Officers were left with no other option but to make a split-second decision to fire,” police said in a news release.

Despite his alleged “furtive” movements, no gun was found on Soto, police said.

Soto was shot by two members of Henderson Police, the news release said: Detective David Rowlett and Officer Daniel Medrano. Rowlett has been with the department since 1996 and Medrano has been with the department since 2008.

Witnesses said police attempted to revive the man for about five minutes before stopping. Soto was pronounced dead at the scene.

Soto was wanted in connection with the stabbing death of Scott Gerald Harrison earlier this month at Soto’s home in Las Vegas, police said. Harrison’s body was discovered July 4 in the desert near Corn Creek, between Las Vegas and Indian Springs.

Police are looking for the elderly woman who was driving the vehicle that Soto had tried to carjack, officials said. The woman’s vehicle is described as a gray Mercury Gran Marquis with a handicap placard hanging from the rearview mirror.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Henderson Police at 702-267-4750.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy