Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Judge won’t let family members visit man shot by police

A man accused of leading a Metro Police officer on a chase through the parking lot of a northwest valley shopping mall before grabbing a gun and moving to point it at the officer had his hearing rescheduled after failing to appear in court today.

Giuseppe Russo, a twice-convicted felon with an extensive arrest history, remained at University Medical Center in critical condition after Meytro Police say Officer Jeffrey Burr shot him five times on July 18 during a foot chase in the parking lot of a northeast valley shopping mall.

A man who identified himself as Russo’s father stood up multiple times during a brief hearing and said he had no information about his son’s condition.

A motion by Public Defender Jasmin Spells to let Russo’s family visit him in the hospital was declined by Las Vegas Township Justice Court Judge Judge Talia Williams. “I’d prefer to have him arraigned first,” Williams said.

Russo, 30, faces three felony charges after police allege he parked a stolen Lexus outside a Kohl’s department store in the 6700 block of North Durango Drive on July 18 and ran from Burr toward the store before grabbing a stolen gun in his back pocket and turning to point it at the officer.

Police say Burr, 29, fired five shots at Russo. Police on Friday released video of the shooting captured on store surveillance cameras and the officer’s body camera.

Metro responded about 1:50 p.m. July 18 to conduct a welfare check at the shopping center after a caller said a man inside the Lexus “was banging his head on the side door of the car and watching people go in and out of the store,” Metro Assistant Sheriff Todd Fasulo said Friday. A check of the license plate indicated the car had been stolen three days earlier, police said.

Burr parked in front of the Lexus and, seeing Russo standing outside the vehicle, told him to get in front of the officer’s SUV, police said. Russo appeared to be complying, but then took off on foot, running around cars and jumping over one of them, police said.

Burr caught up with Russo, and when they were less than three yards apart, Russo grabbed a 9 mm handgun and turned toward Burr, Fasulo said. The officer shot Russo five times in the arm and hip, police said.

Fasulo said the parking lot was packed with “a lot of people, a lot of cars.”

Russo was booked in absentia Friday on counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a protected person, possession of a gun by a prohibited person and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. He was being held on $15,000 bail.

In 2010, Russo was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon and burglary.

From 2012 to 2014, he had several arrests in Clark County on counts including domestic battery, assault with a deadly weapon, drug possession and being a felon in possession of a firearm, Fasulo said.