NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV (FOX5) -
Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins will be charged with one count of discharging a firearm within the city limits and one count of disturbing the peace, the North Las Vegas City Attorney's office confirmed Wednesday.
The charges come after a July 3 incident where Collins allegedly fired a gun into the air in his backyard.
According to police reports, Collins discharged the handgun outside his home in the 4200 block of N. Decatur Boulevard about 11:13 p.m.
Neighbors called 911 to report gunfire coming from the backyard of Collins' home as it occurred. There were no injuries reported.
According to the city attorney's office, Collins will be summoned into North Las Vegas Municipal Court, where he will be arraigned on Sept. 24.
The case was originally forwarded to the Clark County District Attorney's office for review for a gross misdemeanor charge.
After a review by the Nevada Attorney General's office, the gross misdemeanor charge was dropped. Following that process, NLV police forwarded the case to the city attorney's office, requesting the lesser misdemeanor charges.
After reviewing the evidence in the case, North Las Vegas City Attorney Jeffrey Barr filed the charges, saying the case should go forward in order to remain consistent with the city's "firm stance against illegal gunfire."
Barr cites North Las Vegas efforts to conduct a decade-long campaign of public awareness, education and enforcement to curb the dangers of illegal gunfire.
"We have consistently prosecuted this type of case because of the serious risk illegal shooting poses to the citizens of our community," said Barr.
The maximum penalty if convicted on each charge is a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail.
Stay tuned to FOX5 for the latest on this developing story.
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