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Police: Man arrested for shooting at Amazon driver believing him to be burglar

Posted at 11:57 AM, Apr 30, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-30 15:32:43-04

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A man has been arrested on multiple charges for firing several shots at an Amazon delivery man, claiming he thought the driver was a burglar, according to a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrest report.

The April 25 incident began at around 11:30 p.m. on Lake Isle Court, near Alta Drive and South Cimarron Road, when police were called by the driver, reporting that a resident had come out of a home and opened fire on him as he was making a delivery.

Soon after, 9-1-1 dispatch received another call from a man claiming that he had shot at, and possibly struck, a burglar pretending to be an Amazon driver at the same location.

Upon arrival at the scene, police made contact with the driver who explained that he was making a delivery that had to be complete before midnight when he was confronted by a man with a flashlight.

The driver, who was wearing a blue and black Amazon reflective vest, told police that the man continued to shine the flashlight in his face as he delivered the package, following him back to his car.

He also observed a female taking a picture of his back license plate.

The driver reported that he then got back in his car and made the turn around at the cul-de-sac when his car was suddenly struck by multiple bullets, one shattering his rear view mirror.

The driver himself was not struck by any bullets or injured during the shooting.

When police interviewed the shooter, Austin Lattana, he told police that the man was attempting to burglarize his home.

He did not believe the man when the driver told him that he worked for Amazon.

Lattana claims that, when the driver went back into his car, he thought the man was reaching for something so he opened fire.

Police interviewed a neighbor who witnessed the incident and she told them, when the driver made the turnaround at the cul-de-sac, he stopped in front of her house for a moment and appeared to be talking on a phone.

According to the report, the witness told police that Lattana threatened the driver, telling him that if he did not leave he was going to have to shoot him.

When the Amazon driver did not leave soon enough, Lattana opened fire.

Investigators found 14 spent bullet casings at the scene and the report relates how at least three homes were struck by bullets as well as other vehicles parked on the street.

A search warrant was issued for Lattana's residence where multiple weapons and ammunition were discovered, including an fully loaded AR15 and a .45 caliber Springfield XD.

Lattana was taken into custody on charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, discharging a weapon on an occupied vehicle/residence and discharging a weapon where persons may be endangered.