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Las Vegas shooting: Two police officers shot dead as they ate pizza for lunch Las Vegas shooting: Two police officers shot dead as they ate pizza for lunch
(35 minutes later)
A man and a woman ambushed two police officers eating lunch at a Las Vegas restaurant, fatally shooting them at point-blank range before fleeing to a nearby Wal-Mart where they killed a third person and then themselves in an apparent suicide pact, authorities said. Two police officers were shot at point-blank range in an ambush while they were eating lunch in Las Vegas.
The shooters walked into CiCi's Pizza on Sunday and gunned down Officers Alyn Beck, 41, and Igor Soldo, 31, Las Vegas police officials said. One of the officers was able to fire back before he died, but it's unclear if he hit the suspects, Sheriff Doug Gillespie of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department said at a news conference yesterday. The attackers, a man and a woman, walked into CiCi's Pizza on Sunday and gunned down officers Alyn Beck, 41, and Igor Soldo, 31. One of the officers was able to fire back before he died, but it was unclear if he hit the suspects.
One of the shooters yelled, “This is a revolution,” but a motive remains under investigation, Las Vegas police spokesman Larry Hadfield told The Associated Press. He added that “we don't know anything about the suspects yet.” Witnesses said one of the shooters shouted "this is a revolution” but a motive remains under investigation, Las Vegas police spokesman Larry Hadfield told The Associated Press.
After shooting the officers, the suspects fled to the Wal-Mart across the street, where they killed a person inside the front door and exchanged gunfire with police before killing themselves, police said. Investigators told the Las Vegas Review-Journal the attackers draped the officers' bodies with cloth showing a Revolutionary War-era flag and stripped them of weapons and badges.
The female suspect shot the male suspect before killing herself, Gillespie said. The victim's identity hasn't been confirmed, and the suspects' names haven't been released. The Gadsden flag, a yellow banner with a coiled snake above the words “don’t tread on me” is associated with America's controversial Tea Party movement.
Both officers were pronounced dead at University Medical Center. Beck had been with the department since 2001 and leaves behind a wife and three children. Soldo had been with the force since 2006 and is survived by a wife and baby, police said. Police had little information on the suspects at the time.
The attackers, a man and a woman, fled to a nearby Wal-Mart supermarket, where they shot a passing shopper dead and took refuge in the back of the store.
According to Las Vegas police, officers entered the building and exchanged gunfire with the suspects, before another round of shots was heard.
It is believed the woman shot the man before turning the gun on herself, in an apparent suicide pact.
The dead shopper's identity has not been confirmed, and the suspects' names were not released.
Mr Beck had been with the force since 2001 and had a wife and three children, a statement said. Mr Soldo had been an officer since 2006 and leaves behind his wife and baby.
Pauline Pacheco was shopping at Wal-Mart when she saw the armed man and grabbed her father to escape, KLAS-TV reported.Pauline Pacheco was shopping at Wal-Mart when she saw the armed man and grabbed her father to escape, KLAS-TV reported.
“We saw when the man was walking, he was shouting, yelling bad words, and suddenly he had a gun,” she told the station. “It was terrible, it was terrible. That man was crazy.”“We saw when the man was walking, he was shouting, yelling bad words, and suddenly he had a gun,” she told the station. “It was terrible, it was terrible. That man was crazy.”
Assistant Sheriff Kevin McMahill said the male suspect yelled “everyone get out” before shooting at Wal-Mart. The suspects then walked to the back of the store. Assistant Sheriff Kevin McMahill said the male suspect yelled “everyone get out” before shooting at Wal-Mart.
Gov. Brian Sandoval said in a statement he was devastated by the murders of the two officers and an innocent bystander in an “act of senseless violence.” Brian Sandoval, the Governor of Nevada, said he was devastated by the murders, calling them an "act of senseless violence".
In a statement, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman called the killings a “cruel act” and praised the officers for dedicating “their lives to protecting all of us in our community.” Las Vegas' Mayor, Carolyn Goodman, called the killings a “cruel act” and praised the officers for dedicating “their lives to protecting all of us".
Wal-Mart expressed its condolences in a statement and that the company is working with police on the investigation. Cici's Pizza said in a statement the company was deeply saddened by the shooting and would keep the location closed until further notice. A spokesman for Wal-Mart expressed the chain's condolences and said the company is working with police on the investigation. Cici's Pizza also said the company was deeply saddened by the shooting was closing the restaurant until further notice.
Sunday's killings come less than a year after the Las Vegas police department's most recent on-duty death. Officer David VanBuskirk died while rescuing a stranded hiker by helicopter on July 22, 2013. Sunday's killings come less than a year after the Las Vegas police department's most recent death on duty. Officer David VanBuskirk died after falling from a helicopter winch while rescuing a stranded hiker in July 2013.
Additional reporting by AP