A dramatic Las Vegas police body cam video shows an officer firing a gun through his own windshield during a chase with murder suspects. You can watch the video below as it appears on the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s YouTube channel:
Here’s a shorter version of the same video, which shows the police officer briefly take his hands off the steering wheel of his squad car to shoot at the fleeing vehicle through his own windshield. “Shots fired! Shots fired!” the officer says into his police radio during the chase.
The Las Vegas Review Journal identified the officer who fired as Officer William Umana and named the suspects as Fidel Miranda, 22, and Rene Nunez, 30. Miranda died in the incident. One squad car was struck by bullets, police said. According to the Review Journal, Umana, 43, “fired 11 shots through his windshield and seven shots through his open window.”
Here’s what you need to know:
Vegas Police Say the Video Only Shows the End of the Chase, During Which Suspects Fired at Officers 34 Times
The caption with the chase video reads, “LVMPD officers in pursuit of two murder suspects are fired at 34 times. This body worn camera footage shows the end of the chase during which officers, numerous motorists, and the public at large were in extreme danger.”
Police say the incident started with a shooting at a local car wash.
According to a press release from the Las Vegas Police Department, On July 11, 2018 at approximately 7:24 a.m. LVMPD patrol officers “responded to a shooting that occurred at 1402 North Eastern Avenue. The details of the call indicated a subject at a car wash was shot multiple times by a Hispanic male adult suspect and he fled the area in a large black Ford Expedition with large tires driven by another Hispanic male adult.”
The Review Journal identified the car wash victim as 25-year-old Thomas Romero.
Then, at about 9:30 a.m., in the area of 29th Street and Constantine Avenue, a downtown area Command Patrol Investigations detective “observed a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle involved in the earlier shooting incident. When detectives attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver fled at a high rate of speed and officers initiated a vehicle pursuit. During the course of a lengthy pursuit, the suspects shot at officers several times and one officer returned fire.”
According to police, the pursuit ended in the area of Ogden Avenue and 18th Street, “when the vehicle collided into the wall of an elementary school. The suspects attempted to flee on foot and one of the suspects was shot and killed on scene. The other suspect made it on to the school grounds and was taken into custody without further incident. Preliminary investigation indicates two officers fired their weapons during the course of the incident. It was later that investigators learned that the victim from the early morning’s incident succumbed to his injuries at University Medical Center.”
Police added in the news release: “This is the 10th officer involved shooting of 2018.”
Poster Comment:
For the record: I don't have a problem with what this cop did.
I saw this video on another web site. IMHO, this officer did an outstanding job !! He should be commended in some way. The officer did fabulous, driving, comm's, handling his weapon, all under very high stress !!! Never did see him get air support, even though he called for it. The other officer that joined in I am assuming is a newer officer, and this guy had to pass him and take the lead again, and then got the perps stopped !! Under the conditions, the comms, on both ends were handled very well !! I seriously doubt they would try to get him to pay for the windshield. I would love to see what the perps looked like after they were caught. They would deserve a First Class Ass Kicking !!!
The Officer obviously has a number of years service / experience. Notice his actions, and service hashes on his sleeve. The guy knew what he was doing, and did it very, very well !!
