Metro Police Assistant Sheriff Chris Jones watches a video featuring Jorge Gomez during a briefing at police headquarters Friday, June 5, 2020. Gomez, 25, died after being shot by police during a George Floyd protest in downtown Las Vegas Monday, June 1, 2020.
Friday, June 5, 2020 | 3:28 p.m.
An armed protester killed by Metro Police after he pulled a gun had become “increasingly radicalized,” although “his perspectives” were unknown, Clark County Assistant Sheriff Chris Jones said.
Officers fatally shot Jorge Gomez, 25, of Las Vegas on Monday after he pointed a gun at them as police were breaking up a protest in downtown Las Vegas, Metro officials said.
In interviews with investigators after the shooting, Gomez’ family expressed concern over some of his recent behavior, Jones said without elaborating.
Gomez had recently shared anti-Donald Trump conspiracies on his Facebook page, and hours before the protest started, he wrote, “Be ready for war. Do not cower in the face of revolution.”
The shooting happened about 11:20 p.m. near the Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse, 333 Las Vegas Blvd. South, as hundreds of people were protesting the death of George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis.
Gomez, armed with a pistol on his hip and another one strapped across his body in a carbine conversion kit, caught the attention of several officers, Jones said. But because he was exercising his right to openly carry a firearm, they did not engage him, Jones said.
Gomez was also wearing body armor, police said.
Video showed Gomez, who was mixed among the protesters, approach a line of North Las Vegas Police officers at Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard and shout obscenities.
He was carrying a sign that included the words “Trump,” “jail,” and “change,” along with “2A,” an apparent reference to the Second Amendment.
When officers dispersed that group, Gomez walked toward the courthouse where another large group had gathered, Jones said.
After Gomez ignored orders to disperse, an officer fired beanbag rounds at him, Jones said.
Gomez took off running but encountered more Metro officers nearby and pointed a gun at them, Jones said. Officers opened fire on Gomez, mortally wounding him.
Jones said Gomez didn’t fire a round, but the trigger on his gun had been pulled. Police also found a third handgun in a backpack he was carrying, Jones said.
The officers involved in the shooting were Sgt. Ryan Fryman, 40, Officer Dan Emerton, 38, Officer Vernon Ferguson, 36, and Officer Andrew Locher, 53. They fired a combined 19 rounds, Jones said.
The officers, on duty to provide extra manpower for the protest, were not wearing body cameras because they are not typically on patrol , Jones said.
They were placed on routine administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing, Jones said.
