LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -
Las Vegas Metro police identified the officer who was shot by a homicide suspect before his fellow officers returned fire.
Officer Greg Theobold was hospitalized at UMC Trauma with non-life threatening injuries and later released after he was shot during a confrontation with slaying suspect Jason Baires.
He, along with Officer Thomas Faller of Metro police and Det. David Rowlett of Henderson police, were involved in the shooting of Baires, who was killed in the shootout.
Police said officers pursued Baires in the area of Carmen Boulevard and Michael Way early Wednesday morning.
Police patrolling the area identified the 23-year-old as the suspect in the death of 50-year-old Rodolfo Velasco-Bayardo. Velasco-Bayardo's body was found in a home in the 4600 block of Stacey Avenue late Tuesday afternoon.
Police said Baires was in a vehicle when officers identified him as the suspect. Baires tried alluding officers on foot before he was struck by a police vehicle.
Baires, then, shot at officers when they approached him, injuring Officer Theobold. Police returned fire, killing Baires.
Officer Theobold, 47, has been with Metro since 1999 while Officer Faller, 42, has been with the department since 2000, according to police.
Det. Rowlett, 51, has been with Henderson police since 1996. All three were part of the Criminal Apprehension Team assigned to track down the suspect in Velasco-Bayardo's death.
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