Woman killed, man critical in shooting outside car rental office

One woman died and a man was in critical condition after a shooting in the back alley of a rental car company on Sahara Avenue midday Saturday, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

When officers responded to a call police received just after 12:30 p.m., they found an unresponsive woman on the ground of the shopping center back alley, Metro Homicide Lieutenant Jason Johansson said in a briefing to reporters Saturday.

Officers began providing medical aid to the woman before realizing she was dead, Johansson said.

Inside the Avis Car Rental office at 4632 West Sahara Avenue, officers then found another man with gunshot wounds. Medical personnel arrived on the scene and treated him before he was transported to University Medical Center and listed as being in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds.

The man and woman were completing a transaction for a rental car inside when a white pickup truck came down the back alley and drove around the corner to the company’s parking lot in the northeast corner of the shopping center, police said.

When the man and woman walked out to parking lot to collect their vehicle, the suspect, who had not yet been identified, immediately confronted them on foot, Johansson said.

After an argument, the suspect shot the man, who fell to the ground. He then shot the woman before returning his attention to the man, who ran back into the rental car office, Johansson said.

The suspect got back in his pickup truck and drove away, fleeing south through the alley. He was last seen driving west on Sahara Avenue, police said.

The initial call to Metro came from the company’s office, he added. The entire incident was captured by surveillance cameras, Johansson said.

While the motive for the shooting is not yet known, Johansson said it was not a random event but specifically targeted at the two victims. No one else was injured in the shooting.

The Avis was closed and was sending customers to other locations, an Avis spokesperson confirmed. The shopping area at the address was to be closed for the next several hours after the shooting, police said.

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to reach out to Metro’s Homicide Section or to Crime Stoppers of Nevada to remain anonymous.

Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com.