Incredible bodycam footage has emerged of a police offer giving chase to a pair of wanted criminals before opening fire through his windshield. The incident involved Las Vegas police officers William Umana and Paul Solomon, who were tasked with apprehending murder suspects Rene Nunez and Fidel Miranda – but these guys weren’t in the mood to be arrested.
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The footage shows Umana and Solomon speeding after a black SUV, before coming under fire from the two fugitives. “Shots fired” one of the officers bellowed down the police radio as he relayed his position and detailed where the suspects were headed. Then, as the two vehicles speed through the Las Vegas streets, the officers manage to catch up to the SUV and open fire out the window. As the chase continues, the officer attempts to end the chase by firing through his own windshield. It is a staggeringly dramatic scene that comes to a climax as the suspects plow into the side of a local school, Hollingsworth Elementary.
LVMPD Bodycam Footage of Pursuit and Officer Involved Shooting
#BodyCam footage released by LVMPD shows an intense pursuit seen from the front seat of a Metro patrol car.According to FOX26: "For roughly four minutes Officer William Umana was trying to stop a pair of suspected killers: Fidel Miranda and Rene Nunez. During the chase, the pair fired at police 34 times. Umana is seen on camera shooting back while driving, blowing holes in his own windshield.The pursuit eventually ends at Howard Hollingsworth Elementary School near Bruce & Fremont, where the suspects crashed their vehicle.Miranda, police say, tried to reverse towards officers before he was shot and killed.Nunez, meanwhile, ran away and tried to hide on school grounds.He was caught and arrested.“When you look at that video you get a clear picture of what officers were dealing with,” said Assistant Sheriff Tim Kelly. “In my opinion they showed bravery and heroics we come to expect from our officers.”Police Miranda and Nunez were well-armed and suspected in a homicide from just two hours prior to the pursuit. They had reportedly shot and killed a man at a car wash at Eastern and Searles.According to Sheriff Kelly, LVMPD policy allows officers to pursue and even fire at fleeing suspects if there is imminent danger to others.“The officer could have backed off but he didn't,” Sheriff Kelly said. “He stuck with it knowing what he was dealing with.”"
Posted by U.S. Law Enforcement on Monday, July 16, 2018
The officers exit their vehicle and continue to fire upon the SUV as one suspect flees up some stairs into the school building. Miranda, who remained in the vehicle, was shot and killed by responding officers. Nunez, 30, was also wounded in the gunfight. He was later found hiding on school grounds and promptly arrested. The pair were thought to have perpetrated the July 11 shooting death of 25-year-old Thomas Romero in the city’s north side.
Nunez was remanded in jail on a string of serious charges: two counts of murder, three of attempted murder of police, and one of disobeying an officer resulting in death.
Both suspects had extensive criminal records.
Las Vegas Metro police Assistant Sheriff Tim Kelly said that law enforcement officials involved showed a “level of bravery, professionalism, heroics, that we come to expect of our officers,” according to Fox News.
“The officer could have backed off but he didn’t, he stuck with that individual knowing what type of individual he was dealing with.”
He added that the dramatic footage “paints a picture of the dangers these officers dealt with that day.”