Las Vegas police say fight over child turns deadly Tuesday night

A fight over a child turned into what police characterized as a random homicide in southwest Las Vegas late Tuesday night.

Metropolitan Police Department homicide detectives were investigating a fatal shooting at an apartment complex at 4515 S. Durango Drive near Peace Way early Wednesday morning, Lt. Carmen Donegan said.

Police received a domestic disturbance call about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. A woman and an ex-boyfriend were arguing over custody of their child, homicide detective Lt. Dan McGrath said. It became a shooting call about 10:20 p.m. when the argument spilled into the parking lot at Durango Canyon Apartment Homes.

That’s where a third person, a man who appeared to be in his 30s, showed up to intervene, McGrath said. The man pulled what appeared to be a small assault rifle from his car and shot the unarmed ex-boyfriend one time in the chest.

McGrath said the child was in a car and was unharmed. Grandparents and other family were at the scene and police found no reason to place the child in protective custody.

“We didn’t have any indication of any issues with the parenting,” McGrath said.

The woman told police she didn’t know the shooter, who is still at large. Following the shooting, the assailant left in his car, which McGrath described as a black sports car.

The shooting victim went to University Medical Center, where he died about 11:15 p.m., McGrath said. He said the victim appeared to be in his early 20s.

This was the second homicide in a matter of hours Tuesday night, and the 156th in Metro’s jurisdiction this year. Earlier, police said a father shot and killed his son at a southwest valley apartment complex.

Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mike_shoro on Twitter.