Las Vegas police say father shot, killed son

Las Vegas police said a 50-year-old man shot and killed his son late Tuesday at a southwest valley apartment complex.

Police arrested the unidentified 50-year-old on an open murder with a deadly weapon charge, said Lt. Dan McGrath with Metropolitan Police Department’s homicide unit. Nobody called police about the shooting, and Metro could only find one other person who heard anything.

“Unfortunately, a very young man lost his life tonight,” McGrath said, “and I’m not sure why.”

Metro officers were working a routine call at The Covington at Coronado Ranch, 7800 S. Rainbow Blvd., when they heard three gunshots from a different building in the complex, McGrath said. The shooting happened about 8:20 p.m., Lt. Corey Moon said.

The officers went to the building, where a man came out and told them he shot his son.

Police had to get control of a dog before they could enter the apartment, he said. Inside they found a man about 20 years old with a gunshot wound to the chest. He died at the scene, McGrath said, and was shot inside the apartment.

Officers found a bullet had pierced a wall in the first-floor apartment but it didn’t enter an adjacent apartment.

McGrath emphasized officers didn’t know what precipitated the shooting.

He asked for people to find calming methods of handling stress and domestic issues — such as taking a walk or calling a friend, family member or religious leader — to prevent violence as the holiday season progresses.

“Whatever occurred tonight, nobody had to lose their life,” McGrath said.

This was the 155th homicide in Metro’s jurisdiction this year.

Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mike_shoro on Twitter. Contact Rachel Crosby at rcrosby@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290. Follow @rachelacrosby on Twitter.