Search fatalities

Douglas Claiborne

Age : 60

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 07/27/2021

Location : Interstate 15

City : Las Vegas

County : Clark

State : Nevada

Agency : Nevada Highway Patrol; Nevada Division of Parole and Probation

Officer(s) :Trooper Joseph DellaBella; Officer Garrett Dix; Officer Derek Simmons; Officer Luis Villanueva

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by police after pursuit

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 07/27/2021, Nevada Highway Patrol attempted to stop a vehicle that had been reported stolen during an armed carjacking in Las Vegas approximately 30 minutes earlier. According to investigators, the vehicle's owner told police that a man threatened him with a kitchen knife, took the vehicle, and drove away. When the driver continued driving away after troopers attempted a traffic stop, officers initiated a pursuit through the Las Vegas area and onto Interstate 15.
During the pursuit, Trooper Micah May attempted to deploy spike strips on Interstate 15. Claiborne's vehicle struck May, leaving the trooper trapped in or on the vehicle as it continued traveling down the interstate. Officers stopped the vehicle a short distance later. According to investigators, officers believed Claiborne was reaching toward the trapped trooper and attempting to gain control of the trooper's duty weapon. Four officers opened fire, killing Claiborne at the scene. The Clark County Coroner determined that he died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head and torso and ruled the death a homicide.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department conducted the investigation into the shooting. Investigators reported that officers fired 26 rounds, 18 of which struck Claiborne. The investigation concluded that none of the rounds struck Trooper May.
In 2022, Clark County held a public Police Fatality Fact-Finding Review, and the Clark County District Attorney released a detailed legal analysis of the shooting. Prosecutors concluded that the officers' use of deadly force was legally justified under Nevada law and declined to file criminal charges against Trooper Joseph DellaBella or Nevada Division of Parole and Probation Officers Garrett Dix, Derek Simmons, and Luis Villanueva.
Publicly available records do not indicate that Claiborne's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit or that any of the officers were publicly disciplined. Trooper Micah May died from his injuries two days later, on 07/29/2021.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/coroner-ids-suspect-shot-and-killed-in-i-15-pursuit-that-critically-injured-trooper
https://news3lv.com/news/local/coroner-ids-suspect-shot-and-killed-in-i-15-pursuit-that-critically-injured-trooper
https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/traffic/trooper-struck-during-car-chase-suspect-dead-after-shooting-2407904