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LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Las Vegas Metropolitan Police described their fellow officer as a hero after she shot and killed a suspect who shot her in the pelvis, causing her to collapse.
LVMPD Assistant Sheriff John McGrath held a news conference Tuesday on the police shooting that happened early in the morning on Sept. 10 in the 3900 block of University Center near Flamingo. Officer Tierney Tomburo, 24, was the officer who shot suspect Gabriel Charles, 27, in the incident. Tomburo has been with LMVPD since 2020.
Police said Tomburo fired four rounds. Charles fired one round before his gun malfunctioned, LVMPD said.
According to police, Tomburo and her partner stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation around 1:13 a.m. There was a driver, a front seat passenger, later identified as Charles, and a backseat passenger.
All three suspects initially cooperated and got out of the vehicle, LVMPD said. Then, Charles began to run, and Tomburo chased him.
Police showed video of the chase. Charles fired one round and Tomburo was hit in the pelvis, LVMPD said. Tomburo was still able to fire her weapon and hit the fleeing suspect after she collapsed to the ground.
Later, Tomburo’s partner is seen using a piece of police equipment to create a makeshift tourniquet around her pelvis while she calls for help on her radio.
Tomburo was taken to University Medical Center and is currently recovering at home, McGrath said. McGrath said Tomburo’s response was heroic and the department was proud of her response.
“She is at home, but in a lot of pain. But we have every hope that she’ll be back to work as soon as possible,” McGrath said.
Charles was taken to Sunrise Hospital, where he later died. If he survived, Charles would’ve faced charges of attempted murder, battery, resisting a public officer and a prohibited person with a firearm, LVMPD said.
The driver of the vehicle was later arrested for suspicion of DUI. The rear passenger was released from custody, police said.