Man facing charges in shooting death of 2-year-old Las Vegas boy
A man is facing involuntary manslaughter and other charges in the death of a 2-year-old Las Vegas boy who police say was shot by another child on Wednesday, county booking logs show.
The boy’s mother, Ashley Slack, confirmed Friday that her son, Messiah Logan, was killed in the shooting. But she said the man arrested, the boy’s father, is not responsible.
“Mike Logan did not harm Messiah,” she told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Michael Logan, 26, was arrested Thursday on one count each of involuntary manslaughter with a deadly weapon and child abuse or neglect resulting in substantial bodily harm, jail records show. He also was charged with violating a prohibition on owning or possessing a gun.
He was taken into custody without incident Thursday at 3927 Chasing Heart Way, near Las Vegas Boulevard North and Lamb Boulevard, according to Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Jay Rivera. Further details were not available Friday, as his probable cause arrest report had not been released.
The toddler was shot just after 11:50 a.m. Wednesday in an apartment complex on the 3900 block of North Nellis Boulevard. First responders pronounced the boy dead at the scene, police said.
The shooting occurred when five boys under age 12, including the victim, were playing inside an apartment. At the time, Las Vegas homicide Lt. Ray Spencer said that the shooting appeared to be accidental but that police were still reviewing evidence.
Police said a boy, about 10 years old, fired the shot. Investigators on Wednesday were working to determine how the child got the gun but said that one boy who lived in another apartment might have brought the handgun to the residence.
But Slack and her family deny the police account of the shooting, rebuting Metro’s suspicion that another child shot Messiah. Slack, speaking outside the Chasing Heart Way home Friday afternoon, said another son of hers, 5, watched Messiah accidentally shoot himself.
Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter. Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290. Follow @mike_shoro onTwitter.