Death of suspect involved in Henderson police shooting was suicide

The Clark County coroner’s office has determined that an 18-year-old man who died after he exchanged gunfire with Henderson police in November died by suicide.

The police shooting stemmed from a report of gunfire the night of Nov. 20 inside a Pizza Hut at 1290 W. Warm Springs Road. An employee had called police to report he had been shot and a man was in a nearby Hampton Inn parking lot with a gun, according to a 911 call released by the Henderson Police Department in December.

When officers entered the Pizza Hut they found a 35-year-old man who had been shot in the chest during an attempted robbery. At the time police said that the man was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in critical condition and that he was expected to survive.

Police then found Kenneth Simeus Jr., of Henderson, standing on a nearby road median armed with two handguns. When two officers confronted the 18-year-old, he “immediately began firing shots at officers,” who also returned fire, police have said.

Simeus was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where he died.

The coroner’s office on Friday said Simeus died from a contact gunshot wound of the head, and his death was ruled a suicide.

The officers were not injured during the shooting, police have said. Police said two 9mm handguns were found at the scene, both of which had been stolen in separate burglaries.

The department in November identified the officers who fired at Simeus as Cody Watts, who has been with the department since February 2015, and Robert Hennebeul, who has been with the department since September 2012.

Both were placed on paid administrative leave during the department’s investigation of the shooting.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.