Armed man shot to death by Vegas police following chase

A Las Vegas woman says it was like something out of a movie when a man kicked in the door to a neighbor's home as he was chased by police. The suspect was fatally wounded by pursuing officers.

The occupant of the home, Michele Garrett, said she grabbed her 8-year-old son, Dustin, and ran for cover as the man stormed through her house.

Garrett said the man, identified as 23-year-old John Charles O'Banion, was waving a gun and yelled at her to get down before he forced his way out the back door.

A neighbor, Constance Berreth, said she watched in horror as O'Banion ran from police and kicked in the door of the Garrett home.

"I was yelling, 'Get out of there, you SOB!' It was like something out of a movie," Berreth said.

O'Banion was shot to death minutes later after he allegedly pointed his gun at police officers.

Police said the chase began when officers tried to stop a Mustang convertible that had no license plates.

The driver raced away, with police pursuing him through the northwest part of the valley.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Capt. Greg Jolley said the man was driving very erratically, including driving on the wrong side of the road. Jolley said at one point, pursuing vehicles pulled back and let a helicopter take over the chase.

The driver lost control of the car at an intersection and crashed into a curb.

The man fled on foot and kicked in the door at the Garrett residence, then ran out the back.

Once outside, the man tried to enter another residence, where he was confronted by two officers.

A witness said the supect then fired his gun at approaching officers.

Jolley said two other officers who had taken a position on the roof of a nearby house fired at O'Banion. The suspect was given first aid, then pronounced dead at the scene.

No officers were hit by the gunfire, but one suffered an ankle injury during the foot chase.

Jolley said O'Banion was a three-time felon convicted on charges of burglary, auto burglary and possession of a stolen vehicle.

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