NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Body-worn camera footage obtained by KTNV shows the fatal confrontation between a North Las Vegas police officer and a man armed with a rifle in late September.
Sgt. Paul Sanderson was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into the shooting, a public information officer for the North Las Vegas Police Department confirmed.
Sanderson was among the officers dispatched to a home in the area of Aviary Way and Grand Teton Drive at 10:14 p.m. on Sept. 24.
"The (911) caller reported that an unknown male was in the backyard of a house on this street - he held a long metal pole and appeared to be trying to break into the house," according to NLVPD. "The caller confronted the suspect, who challenged him by asking if he wanted to die."
Police were also told the man appeared to be in his 20s and "seemed to be drunk or high on drugs," police stated.
The first officers arrived in the 4300 block of Westmere Drive at approximately 10:17 p.m. and located the man, who was armed with a rifle, police said. Approximately 13 minutes later, officers radioed to inform dispatchers that shots had been fired.
Body-worn camera footage of the confrontation shows the man standing behind a fence, with what appears to be a rifle slung across his chest According to North Las Vegas police, he was carrying an AR-15 loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, "including one in the chamber."
Much of what the man says is unintelligible in the footage, but the officer's dialogue can be heard.
"Hi, how you doing?" the officer asks. "What's up with the gun? Keep that where I can see it?"
Video shows the man approach the officer from behind the fence, still with his hands at his sides.
In response to something the man says, the North Las Vegas officer responds, "All right, we just heard banging, we're out here checking it out, you're out here with your gun."
"So what? What are you going to do?" the man asks. "Are you going to f—ing shoot me? F— you, b—."
The man then walks away from the officer but turns back around with his hands on the rifle. "Put your f—ing —" the officer says before shots are fired.
According to North Las Vegas police, the man sustained at least one gunshot wound. No one else was injured.
"Officers immediately called for medical personnel and attempted life-saving measures," police stated.
Emergency medical personnel transported the man to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. As of this report, he had not been publicly identified.
Sgt. Paul Sanderson is an 18-year veteran of the North Las Vegas Police Department who was promoted to sergeant in 2018, according to NLVPD. He remains on paid administrative leave.
