Texas couple charged in shooting came to Las Vegas with ‘bag of guns’

A Texas couple arrested this week in a shooting on Las Vegas Boulevard that left three people injured came to town with a “bag of guns,” police said Thursday.

Phillip Nichols, 25, and Ledaxjia Montgomery, 19, were arrested Wednesday after police said Nichols shot three people Monday following an argument inside a 7-Eleven at 1100 Las Vegas Blvd. South, according to an arrest report from the Metropolitan Police Department.

Investigators spoke to several witnesses, including two 17-year-olds who were in the car with the pair as they traveled from Waco, Texas, to Las Vegas. The group intended to head to California but were staying at a motel near the 7-Eleven when, one of the minors told police, Nichols got into an argument inside the store.

Montgomery told police that when Nichols came outside, he asked her to retrieve one of his guns and started walking, and later driving, down the boulevard as at least one person ran from him. Montgomery reported the group “brought a bag of guns” from Texas.

Officers found three people who had been shot and 21 shell casings at the scene. All were hospitalized but none was critically injured, according to the report.

Witness 15 yards from gunshots

John Gist was buying boxes at a storage store next to 7-Eleven when he heard someone yelling “fight me, fight me.” By the time he turned around to see the commotion, Gist said, Nichols was walking and firing at a group of people running down the boulevard.

“One of the guys with him ended up falling on the ground,” Gist said. “He got shot.”

Gist called the police and went to speak to a man at the bus stop who witnessed another person at the bus stop get shot multiple times.

The witness gave a statement to police about the man he saw get shot.

“I never thought I would see someone 15 yards away from me firing a gun,” Gist said.

The group was arrested after Nichols crashed into two vehicles near near East Desert Inn Road and University Center Drive, and Nichols, Montgomery and the two minors tried to run away.

Police reviewed Nichols’ record from Texas and found he was a felon who was wanted on an outstanding warrant, but it was unclear what charges he had been convicted of.

“Nichols stated he knows it is illegal for him to possess firearms as a felon,” police wrote in the arrest report.

“Nichols purchased all three firearms from the streets and was told the .40 caliber pistol was ‘stolen’ by the seller. Nichols traded methamphetamine for the AR in Arizona and acquired the 9mm in Texas before coming to Las Vegas.”

Nichols is charged with 18 counts, including conspiracy to commit murder and battery, attempted murder, battery, assault, seven counts of discharging a gun in a prohibited area and two counts of carrying a gun without a permit, according to court records. He is being held on $250,000 bail.

Montgomery is charged with 17 counts, including attempted murder, child abuse, discharging a gun in a prohibited area, battery, assault, disobeying a police officer and conspiracy to commit murder and battery, according to court records. She is being held on $20,000 bail.

The pair have a court hearing set for Monday.

It was unclear if the two minors would face charges.

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.