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| Las Vegas police fatally shoot suspect holding a cellphone mistaken for a gun | Las Vegas police fatally shoot suspect holding a cellphone mistaken for a gun |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Authorities on Saturday identified a man they said was a suspect in an attempted murder, who was fatally shot by Las Vegas police officers after they mistook his cellphone for a gun. | |
| The Clark County office of the coroner said 23-year-old Keith Childress Jr died from multiple gunshot wounds. It ruled his death a homicide. | The Clark County office of the coroner said 23-year-old Keith Childress Jr died from multiple gunshot wounds. It ruled his death a homicide. |
| The shooting occurred on Thursday as the officers were assisting US marshals in arresting Childress, who is accused of multiple violent felonies in Arizona. | The shooting occurred on Thursday as the officers were assisting US marshals in arresting Childress, who is accused of multiple violent felonies in Arizona. |
| Police said Childress was found outside a home and his right hand held what they believed to be a firearm. Officers told him to drop his weapon but say he began advancing toward them. | Police said Childress was found outside a home and his right hand held what they believed to be a firearm. Officers told him to drop his weapon but say he began advancing toward them. |
| Two officers opened fire. | Two officers opened fire. |
| Childress was pronounced dead at the scene. | Childress was pronounced dead at the scene. |
| A Phoenix attorney who represented Childress said on Saturday his client was wanted for missing his trial for multiple crimes, none of which was attempted murder. | |
| Brad Reinhart said he last had contact with Keith Childress Jr on 17 December, when Childress was supposed to attend the verdict of his trial in Phoenix. A jury convicted the 23-year-old of burglary, armed robbery, kidnapping, theft and aggravated assault. | |
| Las Vegas police said in a statement issued on Friday that the then-unidentified man had been under surveillance and fled from federal authorities who then called Las Vegas police for help in the search. | |
| He was found outside a home west of downtown. Police spokesman officer Larry Hadfield said no officers, agents or bystanders were injured in the shooting that ensued. | He was found outside a home west of downtown. Police spokesman officer Larry Hadfield said no officers, agents or bystanders were injured in the shooting that ensued. |
| Police captain Matt McCarthy of the Las Vegas department’s office of internal oversight and constitutional policing said the officers shot because the confrontation was in a residential area and involved a man wanted for attempted murder who they thought was holding a gun. | |
| “The suspect did not listen, quickly began to advance on the officers, concealing his right hand, which the officers believed was holding a firearm,” McCarthy said in a video message that accompanied the police statement. | “The suspect did not listen, quickly began to advance on the officers, concealing his right hand, which the officers believed was holding a firearm,” McCarthy said in a video message that accompanied the police statement. |
| The two officers who shot Childress have not been identified but they are expected to be named soon, in line with department policy. | The two officers who shot Childress have not been identified but they are expected to be named soon, in line with department policy. |
| It was the 16th shooting in which an officer opened fire or was shot at in 2015 in the Las Vegas area. | It was the 16th shooting in which an officer opened fire or was shot at in 2015 in the Las Vegas area. |