PAHRUMP, Nev. (KTNV) — Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill released a statement Monday about a deadly officer-involved shooting on Thanksgiving.
The following is information included in the public statement from November 27:
The officer who shot and killed 27-year-old Joshua Reese was Detective Sergeant Cory Fowles who has worked with the NCSO since 2007.
He did not have a body cam on the day of the shooting but his gun did have a small camera attached to it. Video from that camera and more information was included in a Nye County Sheriff's Office Facebook post.
On November 23 at 4:26 p.m., police say they responded to a call from a Dotty's in an Pahrump-area Albertson's parking lot. The caller talked to a 911 operator saying Reese assaulted him, made charges with his credit card and was rummaging through the his vehicle when police arrived.
Reese then fled, police say, and this is when Fowles chased the suspect into an area of sand dunes behind the grocery store complex.
A fight ensued, including Reese trying to take the sergeant's gun, finally getting hold of it with two hands. In the struggle, Fowles was able to remove the magazine but knew there was one more round in the chamber.
According to the NCSO, Fowles regained control of the gun, put the magazine back in it, then held the gun overhead to keep it out of Reese's reach—then Reese "grabbed Sgt. Fowles genitals with one hand and squeezed pulled and twisted, and with the other hand he grabbed and pulled down Sgt. Fowles gun that was holding the gun."
In the fight which ensued, Sgt. Fowles fired one shot which his Reese in the upper left chest.
Back up arrived and eventually medical personnel transported Reese to Desert View hospital where he was declared dead at 5:43 p.m.
Sgt Fowles was also transported to Desert View hospital, then later to a hospital in Las Vegas for further observation and treatment of his injuries.
Additional officers interviewed nearby witnesses who they say corroborated Fowles timeline of events.
NCSO says had Joshua Reese survived he would have been charged with the following
- Robbery
- Kidnapping
- Grand larceny of an automobile
- Fraudulent use of a credit card
- Resisting a peace officer
- Attempted grand larceny of a firearm
- Attempted murder
The Nye County District Attorney Office will now review while the sergeant is on administrative leave with pay as per policy.
