NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Channel 13 received a critical incident briefing from the North Las Vegas Police Department (NLVPD) after a man died being taken into custody following a shooting.
Officer Roberto Vaquera shared new details in that briefing with us.
Warning: Some of the content discussed and shown in this story may be disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.
On July 19 at about 11:56 a.m., multiple 911 calls were received by NLVPD's dispatch regarding an armed man in the 6000 block of Yellowhammer Place.
"I have someone with a rifle at my front door," one caller stated.
WATCH | NLVPD's critical incident report (Content warning: Graphic)
The man, later identified by the coroner's office as 39-year-old Daniel Lujan, Jr., was located "lying in the street" as police arrived, Vaquera said.
Officers immediately went to take him into custody when Lujan later stood up suddenly.
"The first officer to reach the suspect was met with active resistance after the suspect assumed a fighting stance," Vaquera shared.
During the struggle, physical force was used by an officer "to overcome the suspect's resistance," which caused Lujan to fall to the ground.
There, NLVPD shared that Lujan grabbed onto an officer's rifle, which was slung across their chest.
In the second piece of body camera footage, an officer can be heard saying, "he's got your gun."
The officer made multiple commands for Lujan to release the gun. When he did not comply, he was tased by another officer and moved onto his stomach.
"Once on the stomach, the suspect tucked both of his hands underneath his body, near his chest and abdomen," which Vaquera said prevented officers from seeing if he was still armed.
After Lujan refused to show his arms after numerous orders to do so, officers tased him again and used a baton to release one of his arms, allowing them to handcuff him.
When Lujan was apprehended, police saw that he was bleeding from his head, and requested medical aid.
"Shortly after being taken into custody, officers observed that the suspect had become unresponsive," Vaquera said.
Lujan was checked for a pulse, received CPR, and naloxone administration. Life saving efforts continued until he was pronounced dead at a UMC at 12:57 p.m. that day.
NLVPD officers did not discharge their firearms during the incident, according to Vaquera. One officer sustained a hand injury, and was hospitalized as a result.
No residents in the neighborhood were injured.
A black AR-15 type rifle was recovered from a neighbor's porch, as well as 20 cartridge casings. Bullet holes were found in nearby homes and cars.
Had Lujan lived, NLVPD said he would have face the following charges:
- Attempted murder (three counts)
- Discharging a firearm into an occupied structure (15 counts)
- Discharging a firearm where persons might be endangered (five counts)
- Resisting an officer/attempting to disarm an officer
- Battery on an officer
Vaquera said that NLVPD's review of Lujan's prior criminal history revealed multiple prior arrests spanning 20 years, including driving impaired, allegations of domestic battery, driving without a valid license, and other offenses related to traffic.
The officers involved in administering physical force were placed on paid administrative leave as per NLVPD's policy.
Anyone with relevant information to this incident is encouraged to contact NLVPD at 702-633-9111.
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