Judge keeps no-bail hold intact for murder suspect in random shooting
A 32-year-old man appeared in court on Wednesday after being accused of pointing a gun at people in a Las Vegas shopping center and fatally shooting a man in an apparent random attack.
“I’ll just note that the no-bail hold, which is standard on these type of charges, will remain for the time being and may be readdressed at a future court date,” Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Joe Bonaventure said.
Jesus Nevarez faces charges of murder with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and four counts of discharging a gun at or into an occupied structure. According to his arrest report, Nevarez had an encounter with a Metropolitan Police Department officer about an hour before the random shooting.
At about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, an officer pulled over to offer help to Nevarez, who was in a stopped car with flashing hazard lights near Wyoming Avenue and Lamb Boulevard. An officer noted in the report that Nevarez “appeared to be speaking erratically to himself,” but the officer did not find probable cause to detain him.
Police then were called at about 10:23 p.m. to a shopping center on the 4500 block of Charleston Boulevard, near Lamb Boulevard, after receiving a report of a rifle-wielding man pointing the gun at “different people” in the parking lot, the report said.
Four gunshots rang out while 911 operators were taking the calls, police said.
Jose Hernandez Cruz, 45, was struck twice and died at University Medical Center, the Clark County coroner’s office has said.
Police then received another report of a man pointing a rifle at people in a shopping center about 3 miles away. Officers attempted to stop Nevarez, but he led them in a chase on Interstate 15, police said.
He was arrested near the Lake Mead Boulevard exit after a police dog bit him in the leg, Metro said.
On Wednesday, Nevarez waived his right to a preliminary hearing within 15 days. Bonaventure ordered him to appear in court again on May 11.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.
