1 killed, 1 hurt in shooting that closed section of I-15

By Ricardo Torres-Cortez

Published Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016 | 12:28 p.m.

Updated Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016 | 4:52 p.m.

A woman was slain, a man was wounded and three vehicles were hit by gunfire in a random shooting on Interstate 15 this morning, according to Metro Police.

Afterward, the shooter went into a south valley pharmacy armed with at least one weapon and tried to sexually assault a woman, Metro Lt. Dan McGrath said. A police dog took him down after a standoff.

Police later identified the suspect as Kenneth McDonald, 29. McDonald was booked into the Clark County Detention Center without bail on one count each of murder and attempted murder, and four counts of shooting into a vehicle, police said. More charges are expected.

The woman who was killed was described as in her late 40s, and the man who was driving and wounded was described as being in his mid-50s. The pair, both from Las Vegas, were in the same vehicle and possibly were married.

A semi-truck driver and the driver of another vehicle reported that their vehicles were hit, too. Police are checking whether any other vehicles were hit.

Also according to McGrath:

The driver of a car called 911 at 9:27 a.m. to say he and the woman he was with had been wounded in a highway shooting. Each was hit two to three times, and their vehicle crashed into a barrier on Spring Mountain Road.

The pair were taken to University Medical Center, where the woman died shortly before 11 a.m. and the man remained in stable condition this afternoon.

A driver called police about the same time to report that his semi-truck had been hit by two bullets on southbound I-15 near Tropicana Avenue. Another driver who was in the area called police after getting home and seeing three bullet holes in his or her vehicle.

People inside the CVS Pharmacy at 8116 Las Vegas Blvd. South, near Windmill Lane, began calling 911 about 15 minutes after the shooting had been reported.

Police said McDonald drove his white Mercury Grand Marquis to the front of the store and stormed the front door. A witness reported seeing two guns.

McDonald then tried to sexually assault a woman, who was able to push him away, police said. The employees and customers who weren't initially able to run out of the store stayed in place as officers began arriving.

Officers surrounded the store. A few minutes later, police said McDonald walked toward the glass door and outside.

Once outside, McDonald, who did not appear to have a gun on him, did not obey commands. Police released a K-9 that bit his leg and thigh, and restrained him.

The incident at the store lasted 38 minutes.

McGrath praised the officers' swift actions.

"Once he stepped outside, he was not going back in,” he said.

The dog "saved the citizens, saved officers and probably saved the (suspect) from being shot and killed."

McDonald, whose only statements to officers were incoherent, was taken to University Medical Center, McGrath said.

As of 1:30 p.m., a motive for the shooting had not been determined. Detectives were in North Las Vegas trying to find out more about McDonald and determine whether he had hurt anyone before the spree.

Southbound lanes of Interstate 15 were shut down this morning from Sahara Avenue to Spring Mountain Road as officers searched for evidence.

Police want to speak to anyone else whose vehicle might have been struck by gunfire, or who was in the drugstore when the man went in.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Metro at 702-828-3521 or [email protected]. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or go to crimestoppersofnv.com.