LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — It was a domestic violence call that led to a woman being shot to death by police on Friday.
According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, this happened at an apartment complex at 1:04 a.m. in the 3600 block of East Lake Mead Boulevard. Police stated they received a phone call from a man who told them that his sister, Sandra Lopez-Ochoa, had tried to strangle him. Investigators said there was enough probable cause to arrest Lopez-Ochoa.
However, when an officer grabbed her left wrist to put them in handcuffs, body camera video showed she pulled out a knife and stabbed the officer in the head. The officer's partner, later identified as Rudy Sacba, fired five shots, which struck Lopez-Ochoa.
Medical personnel pronounced Lopez-Ochoa dead at the scene. The officer was taken to the hospital to be treated and is recovering at home with his family. Sacba is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is still ongoing, as of Monday afternoon.
During a press conference on Monday, Las Vegas police said domestic violence calls are some of the most dangerous calls that officers respond to. According to crime statistics from the police department, officers have responded to 11,696 domestic violence calls so far in 2023. That's compared to 12,282 at the same time last year, which is a 4.8% decrease in domestic violence-related incidents. However, domestic violence-related homicides are up 85% compared to 2022.
"To me, that illustrates a very clear depiction of the amount of violence that can take place at these calls. Our agency takes the violence in these calls very seriously," said Assistant Sheriff Sasha Larkin. "In every case, we make an effort to provide adequate resources and follow-up for our victims to seek help because the truth is we have to get the victims help and out of those situations so it doesn't end up in a deadly encounter."
When looking at year-to-date statistics, 84 homicides have been reported in LVMPD's jurisdiction in 2023. Channel 13 has been tracking these cases. At least eight of those homicides are related to domestic violence calls just this month. You can see our full coverage of those incidents below:
- Aug. 1 - Investigators state a man shot and killed his wife before dying by suicide.
- Aug. 4 - A man was shot and killed by his ex-wife after a fight.
- Aug. 10 - A husband and wife argued and then died in a murder-suicide.
- Aug. 14 - A teenager called police who went home and found her mom's dead body. Her father was the suspect in the case and was later found dead by police.
- Aug. 15 - A man was charged with killing his girlfriend.
- Aug. 16 - A woman was arrested after her boyfriend's dead body was found in a Henderson home.
- Aug. 17 - A man shot and killed his ex-wife just hours after they had a divorce hearing.
- Aug. 25 - A woman dies in an officer-involved shooting after stabbing an officer. Police responded after her brother said she had battered him.
