Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Metro releases details of three ‘use of force’ incidents

Metro Police released on Thursday details of investigations into three officer-involved shootings that occurred from September 2011 to February.

The internal reviews looked into shootings that occurred on Sept. 9, 2011, Nov. 21, 2011, and Feb. 1. The "use of force" reports were released in a continued Metro Police effort to increase transparency.

On Sept. 9, officers Michael Ramirez, John Abel, Corey Stahel and Beaumont Hopson responded to suspicious reports at a Walmart at 3615 S. Rainbow Blvd. The report said two suspects rang up more than $500,000 in goods, but their credit card was denied and the male suspect refused to provide identification.

The report said the officers pulled the male suspect, Marc Hull, aside to pat him down. Hull then pulled out a handgun and shot one of the officers. The officers then returned fire. Hull fired eight more shots at the officers but was shot six times and pronounced dead at University Medical Center.

On Nov. 21, Metro Police Gang Detective Casey Clarkson noticed a man at Karen Pines Apartment Complex loitering in a “no trespass” park area of the complex at 11 p.m., the report said. The man, Bernard Pate, ran upon seeing the police.

The report said Clarkson chased Pate, who then produced a semi-atuomatic handgun. Pate continued to run and point it at the detective. Clarkson then fired at Pate. The detective stopped when Pate fell again a second time. When he got back up and continued to point the gun at Clarkson, he shot and killed him.

Around 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 1, Detectives Gregory Theobald, Thomas Faller and David Rowlett of the Criminal Apprehension Team multijurisdictional task force tracked down murder suspect Jason Baires, the report said. Baires tried to escape in a car, but the officers blocked his way with their own vehicles. Baires, who was armed, then began running, the report said.

Baires began firing his weapon striking Theobald. The officers proceeded to shoot and kill Baires, the report said.

In each incident, the shootings were declared to be legally justified.

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