LAS VEGAS, NV – A violent crime spree that began with a man shooting his mother and ended in a deadly car chase has left a community in shock and a family in mourning. The suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed, was ultimately killed by law enforcement after a series of carjackings and a high-speed pursuit.
The suspect’s rampage culminated in the fatal shooting of Jerry Lopez, a 39-year-old father of seven, as he was on his way to work. The assailant then commandeered Lopez’s van, which became the final stolen vehicle in his series of crimes. Police officers fired multiple rounds into the van, bringing it to a halt at Durango Drive and Agate Avenue, approximately 11 miles southwest of the Las Vegas strip.
Lopez, a devoted family man, leaves behind his wife, Karen, and their seven children, ranging in age from three to eleven. The couple, married for 13 years, had fostered 12 children since 2017, six of whom they had adopted. “He was such an amazing father to our kids,” Karen Lopez said. “He would just walk through the door after work, throw his stuff down and just jump right in it with the kids, not even taking two minutes to himself.”
The crime spree began in the early hours of the morning, around 3:45 a.m., near the suspect’s childhood home in southeastern Las Vegas. After shooting his mother, the suspect stole a patrol vehicle from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) and broke through a containment area. He then proceeded to carjack multiple individuals at gunpoint, leading police on a wild chase across the city.
The suspect was finally stopped when law enforcement officers, including those from the LVMPD and the Nevada State Police, fired at his vehicle as he attempted to escape. Medical personnel responded to the scene, where the suspect was pronounced dead. No officers were injured during the incidents.
The motive behind the suspect’s deadly rampage remains unclear. Investigations are ongoing.