Protests have been taking place in major cities across the country and, last night, things turned fatal in Las Vegas. One man has been pronounced dead and one police officer is fighting for his life after being shot in the head.
According to Fox 5 KVVU, a local Las Vegas news channel, two separate protest-related shootings took place last night. It was the fifth night of protests in Las Vegas when an armed man, who was reportedly carrying multiple firearms and was wearing body armor, was shot several times after he allegedly grabbed for a weapon. Officers engaged and shot him dead. The shooting took place at the Lloyd D. George U.S. Courthouse at Las Vegas Boulevard and Bridger Avenue, where they were reportedly stationed to protect the building from protestors.
In a separate incident, a police officer is on life support after being shot in the head. The officer was shot near Circus Circus and has been brought to University Medical Center. The cops were trying to disperse a crowd at approximately 11:30 PM, reportedly taking rocks and bottles from protestors. As they attempted to place several people in custody, a shot rang out and struck one officer in the head. He is said to be in "grave condition." A suspect has been identified and was taken into police custody.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Joe Lombardo spoke on both incidents during a press conference. He called the shooting unacceptable and added: "I hope the community sees it that way, too."