Las Vegas Mayor Pro Tem Steve Ross and his wife Kelli have been dealing with their son's heroin addiction, which came to a head last month after he was arrested in a series of robberies last month.
Police said in surveillance footage, Shane Ross is seen making a getaway on his motorcycle following one of 10 robberies. There were several robberies within a few hours near Rainbow Boulevard and Spring Mountain Road.
According to police, Shane Ross told police he committed the robberies because he needed money to pay off homeowners association fees and other bills. But his parents say their son battles addiction issues.
"We didn't really realize he had an issue with drug addiction until about a year ago and we were shocked," Steve Ross said. "But he has been battling these demons for a long, long time."
According to the Ross family, Shane had been out of their lives for 10 years. They reconnected in the past two years and then learned about his heroin addiction.
"The pills didn't work anymore so it turned to heroin and understanding the addiction process -- it shuts down parts of your brain where you make good decisions and obviously he did not make good decisions," Steve Ross said.
Dealing with addiction in such a public way has not been easy but the Ross family is touched by the outpouring of support from the community.
"Never did we think this would affect our family but it's amazing to know the amazing outreach in the community to our family," Steve Ross said, noting the many families affected by drug addiction.
He added that family members also have to go through recovery.
"Recovery is for everybody," Steve Ross said. "Not just for the addict but for the family members too."
