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| Las Vegas shooting couple 'equated law enforcement with fascism', police say | Las Vegas shooting couple 'equated law enforcement with fascism', police say |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Police described a married Las Vegas couple who shot dead two police officers and a bystander before killing themselves as anti-government extremists "prepared for a lengthy gun battle". | Police described a married Las Vegas couple who shot dead two police officers and a bystander before killing themselves as anti-government extremists "prepared for a lengthy gun battle". |
| "We believe they equated government and law enforcement with fascism," assistant sheriff Kevin McMahill said in a press conference on Monday. | "We believe they equated government and law enforcement with fascism," assistant sheriff Kevin McMahill said in a press conference on Monday. |
| Jerad and Amanda Miller, 31 and 22, were identified as suspects in the Sunday shooting of Las Vegas police officers Igor Soldo, 32, and Alyn Beck, 42. | Jerad and Amanda Miller, 31 and 22, were identified as suspects in the Sunday shooting of Las Vegas police officers Igor Soldo, 32, and Alyn Beck, 42. |
| A third victim, Joseph Wilcox, was shot dead inside a Walmart store after confronting the couple. | A third victim, Joseph Wilcox, was shot dead inside a Walmart store after confronting the couple. |
| The officers were shot point-blank while eating lunch at a CiCi's Pizza restaurant, around 11.30am local time on Sunday. Saldo was shot in the head, apparently ambushed, police said. Beck attempted to fire at the suspects, who shot him multiple times. | The officers were shot point-blank while eating lunch at a CiCi's Pizza restaurant, around 11.30am local time on Sunday. Saldo was shot in the head, apparently ambushed, police said. Beck attempted to fire at the suspects, who shot him multiple times. |
| In CiCi's, police said, one of the Millers shouted, "This is a revolution," and left a note referencing the phrase in the restaurant. The Millers then pulled the officers' bodies onto the ground, where they draped one of the officers' bodies in Revolutionary war-era Gadsden flag. The yellow flag with a coiled snake and the words "Don't tread on me" has been widely adopted by the Tea Party. | In CiCi's, police said, one of the Millers shouted, "This is a revolution," and left a note referencing the phrase in the restaurant. The Millers then pulled the officers' bodies onto the ground, where they draped one of the officers' bodies in Revolutionary war-era Gadsden flag. The yellow flag with a coiled snake and the words "Don't tread on me" has been widely adopted by the Tea Party. |
| The Millers left a swastika on one officer's body, police said. | The Millers left a swastika on one officer's body, police said. |
| Police said after the couple shot the officers, they took Soldo's and Beck's handguns and ammunition and walked to a nearby Walmart. | Police said after the couple shot the officers, they took Soldo's and Beck's handguns and ammunition and walked to a nearby Walmart. |
| There, Jerad Miller fired a single shot and told everyone to "get out". Police said Wilcox, armed with a concealed weapon, approached the pair and was shot dead by Amanda Miller. | There, Jerad Miller fired a single shot and told everyone to "get out". Police said Wilcox, armed with a concealed weapon, approached the pair and was shot dead by Amanda Miller. |
| As police responded to, the pair exchanged gunfire with officers and walked to the back of the store to establish a tactical position. After she was shot, and the pair were trapped, Amanda Miller apparently fired multiple shots at her husband as he lay on the floor, then shot herself once in the head. | As police responded to, the pair exchanged gunfire with officers and walked to the back of the store to establish a tactical position. After she was shot, and the pair were trapped, Amanda Miller apparently fired multiple shots at her husband as he lay on the floor, then shot herself once in the head. |
| Police found "hundreds of rounds of ammunition" in backpacks carried by the Millers, recovered from the scene at Walmart. | Police found "hundreds of rounds of ammunition" in backpacks carried by the Millers, recovered from the scene at Walmart. |
| An investigation into the suspects' background led police to the small Oak Tree Apartments complex, which was cordoned off by metro police, Sunday evening. The pair appeared to be living with a neighbor after unsanitary conditions forced them out of their own apartment, police said. | An investigation into the suspects' background led police to the small Oak Tree Apartments complex, which was cordoned off by metro police, Sunday evening. The pair appeared to be living with a neighbor after unsanitary conditions forced them out of their own apartment, police said. |
| The Sun reported the pair bragged to neighbors about their gun collection and about spending time at the ranch of Cliven Bundy – a Nevada man who waged an armed standoff with federal authorities in spring, after land management staff rounded up his cattle when he failed to pay grazing fees for more than two decades. | The Sun reported the pair bragged to neighbors about their gun collection and about spending time at the ranch of Cliven Bundy – a Nevada man who waged an armed standoff with federal authorities in spring, after land management staff rounded up his cattle when he failed to pay grazing fees for more than two decades. |
| Bundy's son Ammon Bundy told the Associated Press on Monday that the couple had been kicked off the ranch. He called the couple "very radical" and said they did not "align themselves" with the protest's main issues. | |
| "There’s no doubt that the suspects have some apparent ideology that’s along the lines of militia and white supremacist," said McMahill. | "There’s no doubt that the suspects have some apparent ideology that’s along the lines of militia and white supremacist," said McMahill. |
| "They were handing out white-power propaganda and were talking about doing the next Columbine," neighbour [Brandon] Moore told the the Las Vegas Sun. | "They were handing out white-power propaganda and were talking about doing the next Columbine," neighbour [Brandon] Moore told the the Las Vegas Sun. |
| Jerad Miller left behind a trail of social media posts warning of his apparent plan. | Jerad Miller left behind a trail of social media posts warning of his apparent plan. |
| The Southern Poverty Law Center reported that the Millers were involved in the Patriot movement. The groups, "engage in groundless conspiracy theorising," distrust the so-called "new world order," and hold extreme anti-government views, according to the SPLC. Many encourage members to prepare for a coming revolution and government violence. | The Southern Poverty Law Center reported that the Millers were involved in the Patriot movement. The groups, "engage in groundless conspiracy theorising," distrust the so-called "new world order," and hold extreme anti-government views, according to the SPLC. Many encourage members to prepare for a coming revolution and government violence. |
| The Las Vegas area FBI declined to comment, except to say: "The FBI is working closely with Las Vegas Metropolitan police department and our law enforcement partners to determine the facts of this tragic incident. We will not comment on specifics at this time." | The Las Vegas area FBI declined to comment, except to say: "The FBI is working closely with Las Vegas Metropolitan police department and our law enforcement partners to determine the facts of this tragic incident. We will not comment on specifics at this time." |
| Last week the US attorney general announced the reconstitution of a domestic terrorism task force made up of members of the FBI, US Attorney General's office and the Justice Department. Jerad Miller referenced that announcement on his Facebook page. | Last week the US attorney general announced the reconstitution of a domestic terrorism task force made up of members of the FBI, US Attorney General's office and the Justice Department. Jerad Miller referenced that announcement on his Facebook page. |
| "It's a tragic day. It's a very, very difficult day, but we still have a community to police, and we still have a community to protect. We will be out there doing it with our heads held high but an emptiness in our hearts," Gillespie said on Sunday. | "It's a tragic day. It's a very, very difficult day, but we still have a community to police, and we still have a community to protect. We will be out there doing it with our heads held high but an emptiness in our hearts," Gillespie said on Sunday. |
| The Las Vegas police department has doubled the normal number of officers on the street, from around 150 to between 300 and 350. Following the shootings, police are accepting donations to a fallen officers fund. A vigil is being held at 6pm local time, near where the shooting occurred. | The Las Vegas police department has doubled the normal number of officers on the street, from around 150 to between 300 and 350. Following the shootings, police are accepting donations to a fallen officers fund. A vigil is being held at 6pm local time, near where the shooting occurred. |
| Officers Beck and Soldo both leave families behind. Beck leaves behind a wife and six children. He was with the Las Vegas metro police since August 2001, and was a patrol officer in the city's northeast area. | Officers Beck and Soldo both leave families behind. Beck leaves behind a wife and six children. He was with the Las Vegas metro police since August 2001, and was a patrol officer in the city's northeast area. |
| Soldo leaves behind a wife and one child. Soldo was also in the northeast patrol division, and had been a Las Vegas metro officer since April 2006. | Soldo leaves behind a wife and one child. Soldo was also in the northeast patrol division, and had been a Las Vegas metro officer since April 2006. |