2 dead in shooting at central Las Vegas apartment building

Two men were killed in a shooting Tuesday night at an apartment building in the central valley, authorities said.

At about 11:30 p.m., Las Vegas police were called to the 900 block of Sierra Vista Drive for a report of gunshots in the courtyard of an apartment complex.

Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Ray Spencer said officers found two men in their 20s who had been shot at the scene. One of the men was dead, and the second man was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where he underwent emergency surgery but died from injuries.

The Clark County coroner’s office identified the man who died at the hospital as Khiri Bryant, 23.

Police said in a statement Wednesday that two men were in an argument, which escalated into a fistfight.

“One of the males, later identified as 28-year-old Ronald Thompson, took out a handgun and shot the other male,” according to the statement. “Thompson then pointed his handgun at a witness who came out of his apartment during the exchange. The witness, who was also armed, fired at Thompson, striking him.”

A third man, referenced in the police statement as the witness, who was said to be present during the shooting, left the area briefly, police said, and returned with a firearm and shot Thompson, killing him.

During a briefing early Wednesday, Spencer did not describe the third man as a suspect in the investigation.

He said the man was cooperating with police as investigators worked to determine whether his shooting was in self-defense. Spencer said it appeared at least two of the people knew each other before the shooting occurred.

No one was charged or in custody as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Metro, and the case had been sent to the Clark County district attorney’s office.

Contact Dalton LaFerney at dlaferney@reviewjournal.com or at 702-383-0288. Follow @daltonlaferney on Twitter.