Suspect killed by police identified

Oswalt was killed as officers tried to arrest him and his friend, Howard DiPietro, 34, in the parking lot of an industrial complex Thursday.

Police officers were called to the complex after getting information that the two suspects might have been attempting to sell stolen construction equipment.

As DiPietro was attempting to get into the passenger side of a pickup truck, he and an officer started to struggle, police said.

"He (DiPietro) was able to get in the passenger side of the truck ... and he was screaming to the driver (Oswalt) to drive away," police Capt. Greg Jolley said Friday.

The truck started to move and the officer who was struggling with DiPietro became pinned between the passenger door and the truck's door frame, Jolley said.

The truck then started to sideswipe several parked cars in the parking lot, repeatedly slamming the truck door against the officer.

The second officer was attempting to apprehend Oswalt and stop the vehicle. Both officers fired at Oswalt.

Jolley said Oswalt was a four-time felon who had two prior burglary convictions, along with convictions for possession of stolen property and conspiracy to possess stolen property.

DiPietro is a three-time felon whose record also includes burglary-related offenses.

The names of the officers involved in the shooting were not released.

It was the second time in as many months that a man was shot and killed by police here and the fourth fatal shooting by Las Vegas officers this year.

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