Two Nevada State Troopers were struck and killed Thursday morning while conducting a motorist assist on northbound Interstate 15 near D street.
Las Vegas police provided some details about the incident at a press briefing at Metro HQ Thursday afternoon.
A suspect has been taken into custody, according to LMVPD Deputy Chief Branden Clarkson. Clarkson did not provide the name of the suspect due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.
The incident is being investigated by Metro’s homicide section, Clarkson said.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, who said he had visited the crime scene and been given a walk through of the events leading up to the crash.
“It’s a terrible, terrible tragedy to have these troopers lose their lives in the manner they did,” Wolfson said.
The I-15 northbound at Charleston and all ramps from U.S. Highway 95 to the I-15 northbound are closed. Please avoid the area.
“Our prayers are with the families and loved ones of our fallen Troopers,” troopers said in a news release.
Gov. Joe Lombardo also released a statement after the deaths.
“I’m profoundly saddened by the deaths of two of our brave Nevada State Troopers, who were killed early this morning in Las Vegas,” the statement read. “This is a devastating loss for Nevada law enforcement, the city of Las Vegas, and our entire state. As we mourn these troopers, we will never forget their bravery, courage, and sacrifice.”
Police had surrounded an apartment complex and law enforcement vehicles lined streets near H Street and Monroe Avenue in connection with the deaths, according to a police source, while a nearby school, Wendell P. Williams Elementary, had temporarily placed on a soft lockdown that was lifted by 10 a.m.
The troopers’ deaths occurred a little more than two years after another state trooper, Micah May, was killed on the interstate near Sahara Avenue.
May died in July 2021 after he was struck by a carjacking suspect driving on the freeway. May was struck by the suspect’s stolen vehicle while deploying stop sticks on I-15, in an attempt to halt a car chase that spanned portions of the freeway and surface streets. May later died at University Medical Center from crash injuries.
In September, a stretch of the highway was dedicated in May’s name with memorial signs installed in each direction of I-15 near Sahara.
At the time, May was only the second Nevada trooper to die in the line of duty in nearly three decades, according to data maintained by the FBI.
On March 27, 2020, Sgt. Ben Jenkins was fatally shot on U.S. Highway 93 after Jenkins pulled over to assist a driver. Ruth resident John Dabritz is charged with murder, third-degree arson, grand larceny of a motor vehicle and grand larceny of a firearm in connection with the death.
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