Las Vegas Police Fatally Shoot Suspect Holding A Cellphone Mistaken For A Gun

A man who was fatally shot by Las Vegas police while holding a cellphone that was mistaken for a gun had recently been convicted of multiple crimes in Arizona, his attorney said on Saturday.

Brad Reinhart last had contact with his client, Keith Childress Jr, 23, last month when a jury was set to issue a verdict in his trial for stealing marijuana and guns from a Phoenix home in 2013. Reinhart said he texted Childress to be at the courthouse, but he never showed up.

“He didn’t show up for the final hearing,” Reinhart said. “They had a warrant out for him.”

Las Vegas police said they were assisting US marshals in arresting Childress because he was accused of multiple violent felonies in Arizona including attempted murder. Reinhart said while Childress’ crimes were serious, they never included a charge of attempted murder.

According to Maricopa County superior court records, a jury convicted Childress on 17 December of burglary, armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault and theft.

The Clark County office of the coroner identified Childress on Saturday and said he died from multiple gunshot wounds. His death was ruled a homicide.

The shooting occurred on Thursday after Childress had been under surveillance and fled from federal authorities, Las Vegas police said in a statement. Childress was found outside a home west of downtown. Police said his right hand held what they believed to be a firearm.

Officers told him to drop the gun and ordered him to stop when he began to move towards them. Police said two officers opened fire when Childress did not obey their commands. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police later said Childress was actually holding a cellphone.

No officers, agents or bystanders were injured, Police spokesman Larry Hadfield said.

Captain Matt McCarthy of the Las Vegas department’s office of internal oversight and constitutional policing said the officers shot at the man because the confrontation was in a residential area and involved a man wanted for attempted murder who they thought was holding a gun.

“The suspect did not listen, quickly began to advance on the officers, concealing his right hand, which the officers believed was holding a firearm,” McCarthy said in a video message that accompanied the police statement.

The two officers who shot Childress have not been identified, but they are expected to be named soon in line with department policy.