Wednesday, Oct. 21, 1998 | 1:08 a.m.
The Las Vegas man, whose name was not released, was pronounced dead at University Medical Center shortly after the 8 a.m. shooting.
Officer Steve Meriwether said the victim called Metro's sexual assault unit Wednesday morning and told them "he was going to kill the first person he sees."
Officers responding to the call found the man wielding a foot-long knife in the middle of a desert area behind a pharmacy in southwest Las Vegas. Police negotiated with the man for about 45 minutes, but he refused to put the knife down.
Police sprayed a mace-like chemical at the man, and he then lunged at the officer.
One officer, whose name was also not released, fired three shots at the man.
Meriwether said the victim was identified early Wednesday morning as a suspect in a lewdness case involving three young children.
The officer was placed on routine paid administrative leave pending an investigation.
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