Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 | 8:37 p.m.
Rodrigo Chavez
Blake Whittington
A 22-year-old man who stole marijuana from drug dealers in a North Las Vegas neighborhood Sunday night was fatally wounded when the suspects opened fire on his getaway vehicle, according to city police.
Police said they subsequently arrested Rodrigo Chavez, 18, and Blake Whittington, 19, who were then booked on murder-related counts, police said.
North Las Vegas officers on an unrelated assignment at North Vista Hospital were approached by a vehicle carrying a wounded passenger about 11 p.m., police said.
The driver was uninjured, but the victim was later pronounced dead at the facility, police said.
According to an account provided by police Tuesday night, the victim met the suspects near Hamilton Street and Putman Avenue, where he’d arranged to buy pot.
Instead of paying for it, however, he fled with the drugs, police said. The suspects “chased him before firing multiple rounds at the victim,” who was hit at least once.
Chavez was arrested in North Las Vegas, while Whittington was found in Henderson, police said.
Both were booked at the Las Vegas city jail on counts of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, discharging a firearm at an occupied vehicle and discharging a weapon within a vehicle, police said.
The victim will be named by the Clark County Coroner’s Office.
