Las Vegas police officer dies after shooting near UNLV

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department says an officer has died after a shooting early Thursday morning near UNLV.

In a Thursday morning news conference, Sheriff Joe Lombardo said at about 1 a.m., dispatch received a call about a domestic disturbance near the 800 block of East Flamingo Road.

Arriving officers made contact with the suspect vehicle near University Center and Flamingo Road, Sheriff Lombardo said.

The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Tyson Hampton, was armed with a handgun and fired at officers, police say.

Both responding officers fired their weapons, Lombardo said.

One officer was struck and critically wounded, according to Lombardo, and a civilian was struck. Both were transported to local hospitals.

Hampton fled the area and was taken into custody with assistance from a K-9 unit in the area of Desert Inn and Eastern, authorities said.

Hampton refused to comply with officers demands when he exited the vehicle, and thus the K-9 unit was deployed.

According to police, the officer who was killed in the incident was identified as Truong Thai, 49. Sheriff Lombardo said Thai, suffered a gunshot wound to his torso and died at Sunrise Hospital.

Thai, who had been with the department since 1999, was assigned to LVMPD’s South Central Area Command.

In a post on social media later Thursday morning, South Central Area Command said Officer Thai was a “dedicated, 23-year veteran” of the department.

Police said Thai held various roles with the department, including a firearms instructor. “He was passionate about training new officers.”

The Injured Police Officers Fund has organized the only approved donation point in honor of Officer Thai. The organization says 100% of the proceeds will go to Officer’s Thai family.

For more information, visit: https://ipof.vegas/fallen/officer-truong-thai/

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