Man dies, suspect injured in robbery-turned-shootout in east Las Vegas, police say

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A 39-year-old man is accused of robbery and murder after a shootout outside a business in the east Las Vegas valley on Sunday morning.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department says officers responded at 12:39 a.m. to reports of two men armed with guns near Lake Mead and Nellis boulevards. They found a man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds who was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim was identified by the Clark County Coroner's Office as 27-year-old James Espinoza. The cause of death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds.

A second man, since identified as 39-year-old Robert Aguilar, Jr., was later located about three miles away, in the area of Kell Lane and Los Feliz Street, police said. He was suffering from apparent gunshot wounds and was taken to an area hospital in critical condition.

Homicide detectives believe the man who died was open-carrying a firearm when Aguilar approached him and "at gunpoint, demanded the victim's firearm," police said.

"The victim drew his firearm, and the two exchanged gunfire," according to police.

Aguilar remains hospitalized but was booked into the Clark County Detention Center in absentia for open murder with a deadly weapon and robbery with a deadly weapon, police said.

Police are asking anyone with information about this shooting to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at 702-828-3521 or homicide@lvmpd.com. Anonymous tips can also be made through Crime Stoppers by calling 702-385-5555 or online at crimestoppersofnv.com.