Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Federal agent cleared in shooting of suspect in home invasion

A federal agent was justified returning fire and killing a suspect in a home invasion who opened fire on the agent, wounding him in the chest and back, the Clark County District Attorney’s Office concluded.

According to a report released today, officers with the Las Vegas Criminal Apprehension Team were conducting surveillance Feb. 19 around Pleasant Brooks Street, where they believed the suspect, Javier Reyes, was located.

Reyes had a warrant for his arrest in connection with a Feb. 7 incident in which he was suspected of scaling a second-floor balcony, breaking into an elderly couple’s apartment and holding them hostage, the report said. He took their car keys and drove away, the report said.

When officers found Reyes on Feb. 19, he bolted from a house, went over a wall and ran from them.

A federal agent caught up to him and commanded him to show his hands and get on the ground, but Reyes didn’t listen, the report said. It did not specify for which agency the officer worked.

Reyes fired several shots, striking the agent once in the chest and once in the back, before climbing onto a rooftop, the report said. The wounded agent took cover and returned fire, striking Reyes three times to prevent him from harming any other officers, the report said.

Reyes was handcuffed and transported to a hospital, where he died.

The District Attorney’s Office determined the agent acted lawfully. A Police Fatality Public Fact-Finding Review was not conducted because the agent was not part of a state or local law enforcement agency.

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