Las Vegas police ID wounded woman in officer-involved shooting
The knife-wielding woman who was shot and wounded by a Las Vegas police officer Friday night was identified as Tania Torres-Espinoza, 49, on Saturday.
Police responded about 9:30 p.m. to a domestic disturbance call from a man who said his wife was armed with two kitchen knives. He told police that she left the residence and was traveling toward Tropicana Avenue and Pecos Road.
A responding officer saw the woman walking east on Tropicana near Celo Lane, still armed with a knife. The officer made a U-turn in order to approach the woman and stopped her car as the suspect walked into the middle of Tropicana.
Torres-Espinoza advanced on the officer from five feet away, police said. The officer had already tried to use her patrol vehicle as a barricade and was forced to fire two rounds, striking the suspect, police said.
Torres-Espinoza was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center and was booked in absentia. She is being charged with domestic-related assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon on an officer, and resisting a public officer with a weapon.
Contact reporter Kimber Laux at klaux@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0391.
