Welcome, Governor -- don't mind the gunfire

The greeting certainly wasn't what Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore expected when he arrived in Las Vegas early today.

The rental car that was to take him to his hotel was stolen by a vagrant outside a McCarran International Airport private terminal, and the Virginia state trooper who had left the keys in the ignition wound up firing at the fleeing thief.

Virginia Trooper Tim Rice had left the rented 1999 Lincoln Continental to meet Gilmore after the governor arrived in his state's jet, when a man Metro Police police described as "dirty and unkempt" jumped into the car and sped away.

Rice ran after the car and fired at it, police said. There was no evidence that either the car or the thief was hit. The whereabouts of both remained unknown as of this morning.

Gilmore was in town to meet with his state's Secretary of Technology Donald Upson and to speak tonight at the Consumer Electronics Show that both are attending.

Police were dispatched to Signature Flight Services, a private executive terminal at McCarran International Airport at 6005 Las Vegas Blvd. S., at 11:53 p.m. Thursday in response to reports of shots fired.

They discovered that Rice, who was assigned to his state's Executive Protection Unit, had after shouting out several warnings fired two shots at the stolen car with his .357 semi-automatic service pistol.

"I cannot say whether he violated any Virginia trooper procedures (by shooting at the fleeing suspect), but we are not viewing what he did as violating any of our laws," Metro Police Lt. Wayne Petersen said.

"He had a right to protect himself during a felony crime situation and had concerns for the safety of the dignitary he was assigned to protect."

Gilmore's press secretary Mark Miner, attending CES with the governor, said the stolen car was at one point heading toward Rice and that the trooper was dragged a short distance after reaching through an open window.

"He was doing his job and was in harm's way," Miner said. "He didn't know if it was just a case of the car being stolen or if the vehicle was going to be used to crash through the gate and go for the governor."

Rice's weapon was surrendered to Metro Police for ballistics tests. Rice, according to procedure, was placed on administrative leave and is returning to Virginia. Two Metro Police officers were assigned to Gilmore for the remainder of his trip.

The suspect was described as a thin white man with thinning sandy brown hair and a two-day growth of beard. He stands about 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet. He wore a dirty dark green or blue coat, a dark shirt with white markings, dark pants and work boots. The stolen car's license plates are 132JMK.

Miner said the incident did not sour Gilmore's opinion of Nevada or ruin his trip to Las Vegas.

"Nevada is a beautiful state, and everyone was so helpful after the incident," he said. "The governor is looking forward to speaking tonight, visiting with business leaders at CES and, during his down time, touring the town."

Gilmore will leave Las Vegas on Saturday and return to Richmond to prepare his State of the Commonwealth address next Wednesday, Miner said.

Following the theft of the Continental, a mid-size sedan was procured to take the governor and his entourage to their hotel.

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