Police identify man killed in police shooting

Body-camera footage Las Vegas police released Monday showed a knife-wielding suspect rush toward an officer before the officer opened fire in southeast Las Vegas.

Ricardo Antonio Otero, 30, who was shot at four times Jan. 6, died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Sheriff John McGrath said.

Otero died from a gunshot wound to the abdomen, the Clark County coroner’s office said Friday. His death was ruled a homicide.

Otero had been gripping a “fixed-blade hunting knife,” when the shooting occurred, McGrath said.

Otero’s father called police about 10:30 a.m. to the 6700 block of Francis Celia Avenue, near Duck Creek Trail and Broadbent Boulevard, McGrath said.

The man told a 911 dispatcher that his son was trying to break into his house, where he was not allowed because of a temporary protective order, McGrath said.

“He’s got a knife,” the man could be heard saying in a recording of the call police played for reporters on Monday.

McGrath said 30-year-old Otero then went into the backyard and jumped a wall.

Officers responding to the reported burglary spotted Otero on a nearby sidewalk about 12 minutes after his father called 911, McGrath said. But Otero refused to stop, dropping a backpack and turning toward officer Jason Guerra.

“Stop! Drop the knife, Ricardo,” Guerra shouted repeatedly in the video.

Otero ignored Guerra, 40, and continued to close the distance, first pacing then walking faster.

Guerra, who was walking backward until he hit a wall, first opened fire when Otero was about 12 feet away, McGrath said.

McGrath did not show the rest of the video but said Otero got closer when Guerra shot three more rounds.

The interaction with officers lasted about half a minute before gunfire rang out.

Otero’s family told police that he had a history of mental illness, McGrath said.

“We’ve had health with him when he was in crisis before,” McGrath said.

McGrath did not expound on those incidents, and he did not answer a question about Otero’s potential criminal history.

Had Otero survived, he would have been booked on counts of attempted murder on a police officer, resisting an officer with a weapon and violating the TPO, McGrath said.

Guerra, a 16-year veteran of the force, was placed on routine paid leave while the investigation continued.

This was the first Metro shooting this year.

Another person was killed and two SWAT officers were wounded Monday morning in a shootout in the 3000 block of South Nellis Boulevard, police said.

The male officers were expected to recover. One was treated and released, while the other, who was shot three times, was in surgery Monday afternoon.

McGrath said he spoke to that officer Monday, and that he was “in good spirits.”

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @rickytwrites.