“Las Vegas Shooting Rampage: Gunman Kills Mother, Bystander in Violent Police Chase”

Accident – death – Obituary News : LAS VEGAS (AP) — A stolen rifle from a local gun show was one of the firearms used in a tragic incident that occurred in the desert near a man’s childhood home shortly after Christmas. The man, identified as 36-year-old Justin Davidson, shot and killed his mother, leading to a violent high-speed police chase, carjackings, and shots fired at officers. The rampage resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including the suspect, his mother, and an unsuspecting bystander.

During a news conference, Clark County Assistant Sheriff Yesenia Yatomi presented compelling evidence suggesting that the suspect might have been planning a large-scale attack. The evidence included a notebook with a hand-drawn diagram depicting a potential ambush situation, a stockpile of items that could be used to build firearm silencers and explosive devices, additional firearms and loaded magazines, as well as documents outlining how law enforcement agencies respond to mass casualty incidents.

Yatomi emphasized that although the evidence was abundant, many questions still remained unanswered. She stated, “We do not know if the suspect was attempting to build an improvised explosive device. With the materials we found in his homes, we do not know why the suspect started shooting.”

Davidson, who had a lengthy criminal history dating back to 2009, including drug and weapons charges, was wearing camouflage clothing and a tactical vest at the time of the incident. He was armed with a stolen AR rifle and an AK-47-style rifle with an obliterated serial number.

The rampage began in the early hours of Wednesday when officers responded to reports of gunfire coming from the desert near Davidson’s childhood home in southeastern Las Vegas. The suspect’s parents, who were awoken by the gunshots, drove to the area to search for their son, believing he was firing rounds in the desert. Tragically, Davidson opened fire on his parents as officers arrived, resulting in the death of his mother, Liza Leveille-Davidson.

Davidson then turned his weapon towards the officers, firing at them as they sought cover. He also shot out the windows of a police cruiser before fleeing towards the southwestern edge of the city. Surveillance footage revealed Davidson carjacking innocent bystanders at gunpoint at two different gas stations during the ensuing police chase. Yatomi disclosed that during the first carjacking, a Las Vegas police officer fired nine rounds at the suspect, hitting him at least once.

State troopers from the Nevada State Police joined the pursuit after the second carjacking. Tragically, the suspect encountered a white van, whose driver had pulled over to make way for the emergency vehicles. In an attempt to evade the growing number of pursuing officers, Davidson shot the driver multiple times, resulting in his death.

Police dashcam video captured the harrowing moment when Davidson pushed the lifeless body of the victim out of the van and ran over him as he sped away, causing a cloud of dust to billow in his wake. The victim was identified as 39-year-old Gerardo “Jerry” Lopez-Martinez, a father of seven who had just left for work as a driver for a medical linen supply company. Six of Lopez-Martinez’s children were adopted, ranging in age from 3 to 11.

With Davidson now driving Lopez-Martinez’s van, officers fired 53 rounds at the vehicle, striking the suspect multiple times. The van eventually came to a stop, and SWAT officers approached, discovering that the suspect was deceased.

If Davidson had survived, he would have faced numerous charges, including two counts of murder, assault on a police officer, grand larceny, and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to Yatomi.

Detectives conducted a thorough search of the desert area where the suspect initially began firing shots. They discovered loaded magazines of various calibers in multiple locations. However, it remains unclear whether the ammunition was left behind when the police chase commenced or if the suspect had been hiding them in the desert for an extended period.

As the investigation continues, Yatomi acknowledged that there are more locations to search, adding, “We’ve painted a picture, and I’ve shown you evidence of a story that should be very disturbing.”

In conclusion, this unfortunate incident involving a stolen rifle, a violent rampage, and a high-speed police chase has left a community devastated and searching for answers..