Las Vegas police release video, identify armed suspect killed in officer-involved shooting
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department released officer-worn body-camera video and identified the suspect who was killed during an officer-involved shooting on Thursday.
Iesel Torres Santiago, 33, was identified as the suspect discovered in a stolen van at a drive-thru and armed with a loaded handgun at the time of the shooting, police said.
The shooting took place on Dec. 28 along the 1700 block of West Charleston Boulevard and I-15.
Before the shooting, officers received a report of a stolen van near Charleston Boulevard and Rancho Drive shortly after 9:30 p.m. The van was first reported stolen on Dec. 25, 2023, police said.
When officers arrived in the area, they noticed a van matching the stolen vehicle’s description at a drive-thru in the 1800 block of West Charleston.
Officers blocked the vehicle with their patrol car as they attempted to take the suspect into custody.
As officers exited their vehicle, Santiago exited out of the van’s front passenger door and ran eastbound on Charleston Boulevard with the gun, according to police.
The foot pursuit lasted over a minute and took place over 300 yards, police said.
When an officer caught up to Santiago was on the ground holding the gun.
When Santiago refused to drop his loaded gun and did not comply with the officers’ verbal commands police shot at him, according to police.
After the shooting, officers took Santiago into custody, and a medical team was called to the scene.
Despite medical assistance, Santiago was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.
Had Santiago survived, he would have faced several charges, including resisting with a weapon, attempting murder with a deadly weapon on a protective person, assault with a deadly weapon, and prohibited person possession of a firearm.
The officers involved in Thursday’s shooting were identified as Officers Joseph Bringhurst and Richard Rivera.
Bringhurst, 33, has been employed with LVMPD since 2018. He is assigned to the West Community Policing Division, Bolden Area Command.
The investigation revealed Bringhurst fired 11 rounds during the shooting.
Rivera, 28, has been employed with LVMPD since 2017. He is also assigned to the West Community Policing Division, Bolden Area Command.
The investigation revealed Rivera fired four rounds during the shooting.
Thursday’s shooting marked Metro’s 10th officer-involved shooting for the year. It followed the police shooting of a man Wednesday suspected of killing his mother and carjacking several people before officers shot and killed him. A carjacking victim was also shot and killed.
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