SWAT vehicles are shown on Tompkins Avenue near the Orleans resort after a Metro Police officer was shot Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017.
Published Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017 | 3:38 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017 | 7:15 p.m.
Officials today identified a man who died after a shootout with Metro Police and the officer who he wounded on Tuesday.
Metro said Miguel Salas, 25, was wounded by police gunfire and later killed himself during the standoff. He was identified by the Clark County coroner’s office.
The injured officer, Richard Nelson, 33, returned fire, striking Salas at least once. The suspect killed himself during a standoff that followed.
Nelson, who was shot in the chest and stomach during the exchange was expected to recover, police said.
Two officers were dispatched about 4:15 p.m. Tuesday to investigate a stolen cellphone tracked to a pickup truck in the 4100 block of West Tompkins Avenue, northeast of Tropicana Avenue and Arville Street, police said.
The officers talked with Salas for several minutes before he started the truck in a seeming attempt to drive away, police said.
Police said they gave Salas several commands to exit the truck, but he instead opened fire.
Nelson was taken to University Medical Center by another officer, and the incident quickly turned into a standoff that prompted a SWAT team response, police said. At some point during the standoff, Salas shot and killed himself, police said.
The second officer later discovered that Salas had shot him in his gun belt, police said.
Nelson has been with Metro since 2009. He was placed on routine paid administrative leave.
