Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Surveillance video shows slaying victim fall outside van

Click to enlarge photo

Charles Smith

Officers responding to a fatal shooting near Caesars Palace on Friday found the suspect in an employee parking garage, spraying a fire extinguisher into the air and smashing it against a Chevrolet Corvette, according to a Metro Police arrest report.

Charles Smith, 27, had been in a parked van with the victim, Fuli Ji, 52, of Chino Hills, Calif., before shots rang out, the report said.

Surveillance cameras caught the black van arrive at 7:47 p.m. to an area outside of a Caesars Palace employee garage, near Frank Sinatra Drive and Jay Sarno Way, police said.

The next movement inside and around the van came at 11:23 p.m., when two men are seen coming out. One falls to the ground and the other is seen putting something in his pocket and walking toward the parking garage, the report said.

A witness reportedly heard at least four gunshots and saw a Smith holding an orange gun, the report said.

Officers were directed to Smith, who was on the second level of the parking garage with the fire extinguisher, the report said. He was arrested without further incident.

Officers recovered a gun on Smith and an orange gun that had been tossed in a trash can, the report said. Smith also had blood on his shoes consistent with bloody prints at the scene, police said.

Smith was being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center on a count of murder, jail logs show. He’s scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy