An armed suspect in a stolen vehicle forces Vegas police to chase and fatally shoot him
By: The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said a 33-year-old man led police on about a minute-long chase before producing a firearm, forcing officers to discharge their weapons.
Police responded to the 1800 block of West Charleston Boulevard around 9:27 p.m. after receiving a radio transmission of a stolen van.
Assistant Sheriff Sasha Larkin said the van was reported stolen on Christmas Day.
Officers Joseph Bringhurst, 33, and Richard Rivera, 28, responded and found the van in a drive-thru of a business located near Charleston and Rancho boulevards.
Larkin said the van was blocked by marked patrol vehicles during a "high-risk stop." The armed suspect, identified as Iesel Torres-Santiago, fled from the front passenger door and traveled on foot eastbound on Charleston.
Both officers followed the suspect for about 300 yards. Larkin said the chase lasted for about a minute before the suspect was found on the ground and armed with a handgun.
She said Torres-Santiago's firearm had one round in the chamber and three rounds in the magazine. She said he was not complying with the officer's commands while holding the firearm.
Police struck the suspect. Larkin said Bringhurst fired 11 rounds, and Rivera fired 4 rounds. Larkin said the officers placed him into custody and immediately provided medical attention.
However, the suspect did not survive his injuries, according to medical who later arrived at the scene.