NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV — North Las Vegas police say a 39-year-old man died after a confrontation with officers that began with reports of an armed person firing a rifle in a neighborhood on July 19. Officers were called to the 6000 block of Yellowhammer Place around 11:56 a.m. after multiple 911 callers reported a man with a rifle. When police arrived, the man, later identified by the coroner’s office as Daniel Lujan Jr., was found lying in the street. Police said the encounter turned physical as officers tried to take him into custody.
911 Calls And First Contact
During a critical incident briefing, NLVPD Officer Roberto Vaquera said one caller told dispatch, “I have someone with a rifle at my front door.” As officers approached, Lujan stood up suddenly, and police said the first officer to reach him met resistance when he took a fighting stance. Officers used physical force to overcome that resistance, and Lujan fell to the ground. Police said body camera footage captured the tense moments as officers tried to control him and assess whether he still had a weapon. The department said the situation escalated quickly from the initial reports of gunfire.
Struggle With Officers
Police said Lujan grabbed an officer’s rifle, which was slung across the officer’s chest, prompting another officer to shout that he had the gun. Officers gave repeated commands for Lujan to let go, then tased him when he did not comply. Vaquera said Lujan was rolled onto his stomach, but tucked both hands under his body near his chest and abdomen, preventing officers from seeing whether he still had a weapon. After further orders for him to show his arms, officers used a second Taser deployment and a baton to free one of his arms so they could handcuff him. One officer suffered a hand injury and was hospitalized.
Medical Response And Findings
Once Lujan was in custody, officers saw that he was bleeding from the head and requested medical help. Police said he soon became unresponsive. Officers checked for a pulse, performed CPR, and gave naloxone while waiting for emergency care. He was pronounced dead at UMC at 12:57 p.m. the same day. NLVPD said none of its officers fired their weapons during the incident. Investigators also said no residents in the neighborhood were injured, despite evidence of gunfire in the area.
Weapons And Next Steps
Police said a black AR-15 type rifle was recovered from a neighbor’s porch, along with 20 cartridge casings. Bullet holes were found in nearby homes and cars, according to the department. NLVPD said that if Lujan had survived, he would have faced three counts of attempted murder, 15 counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied structure, five counts of discharging a firearm where persons might be endangered, resisting or attempting to disarm an officer, and battery on an officer. The officers involved in using physical force were placed on paid administrative leave under department policy, and police asked anyone with information to call 702-633-9111.
