Robbery suspect with shotgun wounded when police return fire

Nathalie Ben-Kely was working as a food server in a Henderson pizzeria late Monday morning as she watched a Hollywood action scene unfold near the restaurant.

Shortly before noon, Ben-Kely was inside Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana at The District at Green Valley Ranch, when she saw a white car speed into the shopping complex followed by several Henderson police cars.

The white vehicle turned into a roundabout about 100 yards southeast of her. Ben-Kely watched in amazement, staring out the restaurant's windows at the real-life drama.

In a matter of seconds, officers got out of their vehicles, their guns drawn. She then heard multiple gunshots, Ben-Kely said.

"I've never seen anything like that," Ben-Kely said. "It's always on TV or the movies. It's a weird feeling."

The shooting startled customers inside the restaurant on the east side of Green Valley Parkway. Ben-Kely said she could not see who the officers were pointing their guns at because a wall partially blocked her view.

Henderson police said Anthony Rogers, 60, was behind the wheel of the car pursued by officers he later fired at with a shotgun.

Rogers was wounded when officers returned fire. He was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. A spokeswoman for the hospital declined to release his condition Monday night because it's part of an open police investigation.

No officers were shot. One officer suffered minor injuries that didn't require hospital treatment.

Henderson police spokesman Keith Paul said Rogers is a suspect in the robbery of a pharmacy at 3041 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway, which happened about 11:35 a.m. He is accused of stealing Percocet and oxycodone, which are prescription pain medications.

The business, NDC Pharmacy, was more than three miles southwest of the shopping complex where the shooting occurred. No one was injured in the robbery, police said.

Patrol officers spotted Rogers' vehicle on Horizon Ridge turning onto Green Valley Parkway about 11:45 a.m. Officers turned on their police lights to get Rogers to pull over, but he did not stop.

A motorcycle officer was blocking off traffic on Green Valley Parkway. Police said Rogers then pointed a shotgun out of his window and fired at the officer, striking the motorcycle and causing the officer a minor injury.

Rogers then turned into the shopping area, where he was confronted by five officers. Rogers drove into a traffic circle, stepped out of his car and fired again at officers, police said.

All five officers returned fire. It's not known how many times the man was shot.

"They (the officers) had no opportunity to do anything else," Paul said. "Obviously, lives were in danger, and they had to return fire."

The roundabout where the shooting occurred was between a Whole Foods store and West Elm store.

A children's carousel is near the scene of the shooting, but Paul said he thought it was closed.

A few hours after the shooting, the shopping complex was a virtual ghost town.

Ben-Kely said business at the pizzeria suffered after police closed northbound Green Valley Parkway. The lane was reopened hours after the shooting.

LaShelle Washington was sitting at a table outside the Whole Foods on Monday afternoon about three hours after the incident. She said she shops at the complex about once a week.

News of the shooting surprised her.

"This is a very nice, upscale neighborhood," Washington said.

But Faith Bailes, who had just finished shopping at Whole Foods on Monday afternoon, said crime can occur anywhere and some people have a false sense of security because they live in ritzy neighborhoods.

Bailes said she shops at the complex about every two weeks. She thought police acted appropriately.

"It's good to know they (police) were out here doing their jobs," Bailes said. "It makes me feel a lot safer."

The officers who fired their weapons Monday were placed on routine paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

Their names will be released 48 hours after the shooting, in accordance with department policy.

Review-Journal reporter Mike Blasky contributed to this report. Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Contact Mike Blasky at mblasky@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283.