Veteran Las Vegas Police Officer Shot and Killed in Flamingo Road Shooting

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (702 Times, NV Globe) – According to Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, an officer was shot and killed in the line of duty near the Las Vegas Strip early Thursday morning.

The shooting occurred in the 800 block of E. Lombardo, Flamingo Road, a few streets east of Las Vegas Boulevard.

Officers arrived about 1 a.m. to a domestic incident at Flamingo and University Center Drive

According to Lombardo, a man fired shots on two cops, who both returned fire. Officer Truong Thai and a civilian were both shot.

Thai was declared dead at Sunrise Hospital after being gravely injured by a gunshot wound to the torso. Thai, 49, was a veteran of the department who joined in 1999 and was assigned to the South Central Area Command, according to Lombardo.

“He’s an honorable officer, a commendable officer,” stated Lombardo. “He’d done a fantastic job as part of the law enforcement community through his tenure here.”

LVMPD further said that he served as a firearms instructor among other duties throughout his employment.

Tyson Hamptom, 24, left the scene and was later arrested with the help of a K9 unit at Desert Inn Road and Eastern Avenue. According to Lombardo, he got minor injuries during his arrest.

Hampton has a criminal past, according to the sheriff, who added that further information will be disclosed at the department’s standard 72-hour briefing on the incident.

According to authorities, the bystander who was hit by gunshots is being treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Lombardo stated that the department has been monitoring the area where the incident occurred. Last month, another police shooting occurred at Flamingo and University Center, in which an officer shot and killed a suspect who had fired a bullet at her.

“We’re gonna ensure that we put all hands on deck to ensure that we provide safety in that community area,” Lombardo added.

This is the third police shooting in the Las Vegas valley this week, following instances involving officers from the North Las Vegas and Henderson departments. There were no police injured in any of the two shots. The suspect in the North Las Vegas police gunfire was struck and killed, while no injuries were reported in the Henderson police shooting.

According to LVMPD, the only authorized contribution outlet for people wishing to help Thai’s family is the Injured Police Officers Fund.

This is an ongoing narrative. Keep checking back for updates.

Credits: News3LV