Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Argument over vodka led to fatal stabbing of homeless man, police say

Aaron Park

Metro Police

Mugshot of Aaron Park

A suspect who was captured on surveillance images slashing a victim in the neck and chest area told detectives that the fatal encounter Friday developed from an argument over vodka, according to Metro Police.

Aaron Park, who “bragged” to detectives about his skills with fighting and handling knives and “other edged weapons,” said that during the encounter he was unarmed and only pushed the victim, police said. He “denied stabbing, striking or harming anyone.”

Park, 39, remains booked without bail at the Clark County Detention Center on one count of murder with a deadly weapon, jail logs show.

Officers and medics were dispatched about 1:30 p.m. to a shopping center on 4110 Maryland Parkway, near Flamingo Road, and found Ronald Anderson suffering from a wound that extended from his right ear to the left side of his chest, police said. He died soon after at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

Witness statements determined that Park and another man had teamed up in an argument with Anderson, police said.

The men were apparently homeless.

A male witness told detectives that after Park swung, the second man said “that’s what you get.”

Security cameras captured the altercation, and Park “casually” grabbing his backpack and walking away, and then returning to look at the victim and walking away before first responders arrived.

In an interview with detectives, Park said that Anderson had tried “to bully his way into some of the vodka” he and his associates were drinking, which prompted the argument, police said.