Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Police: Air Force veteran intended suicide by cop

Man Killed By Police at Standoff

Steve Marcus

Investigators confer in a common area near the scene of an officer-involved shooting Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, at the Eagle Trace apartment complex near Nellis Air Force Base.

Updated Wednesday, March 4, 2015 | 10:08 a.m.

Man Killed By Police at Standoff

Investigators confer in a common area near the scene of an officer-involved shooting Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, at the Eagle Trace apartment complex near Nellis Air Force Base. Launch slideshow »

An Air Force veteran fatally shot by a SWAT sniper after firing 23 rounds in a standoff with Metro Police threatened to shoot every officer he saw and said he intended to commit suicide by cop, police said.

Francis “Frank” Spivey, 43, was struck in the chest early Feb. 25 by a single shot from the rifle of Officer Bradley Cupp after a nearly two-hour standoff at the Eagle Trace Apartments, 5370 East Craig Road, near Las Vegas Boulevard North, police said.

He was found after the shooting face up in his second-floor apartment next to an AR-15 rifle and five bullet magazines, Undersheriff Kevin McMahill said.

He had 124 rounds of ammunition, McMahill said.

Police received a report of an armed and suicidal man about 12:20 a.m., and when they arrived at the apartment complex, they tried to call Spivey, who hung up multiple times, he said.

When Spivey exited his apartment, he was wearing a blue U.S. Air Force uniform and carrying the rifle under his chin, McMahill said.

Spivey was a retired 23-year veteran of the Air Force, and Metro has not found evidence of a criminal record, police said.

He repeatedly came out of the apartment, talking with officers on the first floor and shooting before going back inside, police said.

Spivey can be heard on an officer’s body camera video saying he wants to speak to a specific female and telling officers to get her on the phone, police said.

An officer says he can’t do that and then shots are fired, causing a car alarm to go off.

Officers evacuated the area but could not clear some apartments in Spivey’s line of sight, police said.

SWAT was called to the scene, McMahill said.

Spivey eventually fired rounds into an apartment across from him and in the direction of officers, police said.

Police didn’t know at the time that the apartment Spivey was shooting into was not occupied, McMahill said.

After Spivey fired, 36-year-old Cupp, who has been with Metro for 11 years, fired one round from a building more than 200 feet away about 2:37 a.m., hitting Spivey in the chest, police said.

Spivey fell and went back into his apartment, bolting the door, police said.

A robot was used to open the door and officers found Spivey’s body, McMahill said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Metro’s Force Investigation Team is reviewing the use of force in the shooting.

“Our officers exercised incredible restraint during this entire event,” he said, noting the nearly two hours officers were locked in a standoff.

This is Metro’s second officer-involved shooting this year.

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