LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Two homicides occurred in North Las Vegas over the holiday weekend, but they weren’t disclosed by law enforcement until after the 8 News Now Investigators looked at the city’s year-to-date number of homicides.
On Wednesday, the family of a shooting victim in North Las Vegas was demanding answers after police did not alert the public about his homicide.
Failing to alert the public about the incident means fewer possible leads and concern about an outstanding arrest, one family member said.
It was not until after the 8 News Now Investigators asked about the unpublicized homicide that two other unreported homicides from just days ago were uncovered.
On Sunday, May 28, officers with the North Las Vegas Police Department were called to the 1500 block of Honey Vista Lane at around 4:45 a.m. after there were reports of a shooting. Arriving officers found a man who was suffering from gunshot wounds.
According to the NLVPD, several bullet casings were found at the scene.
The man was taken to the University Medical Center Trauma Center where he was pronounced dead. He was identified as 32-year-old Demarkie Montez. His cause of death was a gunshot wound to the back.
The second homicide occurred on Monday, May 29. At around 10:56 p.m., officers with the NLVPD were called to an apartment complex in the 2100 block of North Las Vegas Boulevard after reports of a shooting.
Officers found a teen boy suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. He was identified as 17-year-old Kristopher Cineros. His cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest with vascular injuries.
According to the NLVPD, both of these incidents are still considered to be active and ongoing investigations.
It is standard procedure for police departments to alert the media, and the public, about major events, such as homicides or officer-involved shootings, but each department has its own policy. Las Vegas Metro police send alerts to the media about their response to their incidents, with limited information, oftentimes within an hour or less.