Las Vegas police target illegal house parties after string of shootings

Las Vegas police are asking for the public’s help in reporting large parties after months of violence at illegal short-term rental properties in the valley.

Metropolitan Police Department Capt. Reggie Rader said 15 people have been shot at these parties in the past few months and that three have been killed, two in the past two weeks. The most recent was at a house party early Saturday in the east valley.

Police were called around 3:20 a.m. Saturday to the 5700 block of Ruby Creek Drive, where they found a man in a doorway with multiple gunshot wounds.

The coroner’s office identified him as 23-year-old Ashton Price. He died at the scene of multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, and his death was ruled a homicide, the coroner’s office said.

Another man from the party drove himself to University Medical Center, where he was treated for gunshot wounds.

“This latest individual, it’s very tragic. He had a promising career as a sports star, and now that’s ended, presumably because he decided to go to a party that was illegally held,” Rader said Monday.

Rader explained that short-term rental properties are legal in Clark County and the city of Las Vegas only if the owners have a permit. He said it’s also illegal for party promoters to charge a cover at the door and to serve alcohol without a liquor license, both of which have been reported at recent parties.

Many of the parties have had over 100 guests, Rader said, despite the governor’s directive forbidding gatherings of over 50 people.

“My plea would be to the young individuals out there looking for something to do, be adults, be civic-minded and look for other ways to engage in something productive,” Rader said. “I get that it’s tough and there’s not much to do, but you have to find some kind of creative outlet to not put others in danger and not put yourself in danger.”

Contact Alexis Ford at aford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0335. Follow @alexisdford on Twitter.