A Las Vegas store shooter is in police custody thanks to the accurate shooting of a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer who took him down from over 50 yards away. Watch the body camera footage of this officer-involved shooting above.
Las Vegas Store Shooter: The Leadup
Fox 5 Vegas says the suspect, 37-year-old Mohamed Mahmoud, was working as a loss prevention officer at a Ross retail store. Per store policy, customers aren’t allowed to take their shopping carts outside. However, a customer left her cart outside near the entrance as she went to get her car in order to load her purchases.
Mahmoud became angry when the customer left the cart outside; the store manager told him to stop complaining over the store employee communication system. This prompted Mahmoud to approach the manager, and an argument ensued. Another employee tried to stop the argument, which is when Mahmoud threw his work vest on the ground, pointed at the manager and employee and allegedly said, “I’ll kill you both.”
Mahmoud then walked out to his car and grabbed a handgun. As he walked back toward the store, he fired the gun in the parking lot, prompting people nearby to run for cover. Mahmoud proceeded to re-enter the store and fire a round into the ceiling. When he found the store manager, he fired two rounds at her. The store manager started running toward the front of the store, and Mahmoud fired five more rounds in her direction.
Las Vegas Store Shooter: The Takedown
By this point, numerous people in the area called 911 to report an active shooter. At 4:17 p.m., the first officer arrived on the scene. Mahmoud fired multiple rounds at him.
Officer Bryon Bunitsky drove up to the scene at 4:19 p.m. His body camera shows him stepping out of the vehicle and immediately being fired upon by Mahmoud. Bunitsky takes cover behind a palm tree and returns fire from over 50 yards away.
Bunitsky fired five rounds, hitting Mahmoud once in the hip and dropping him to the ground. Officers immediately swooped in and took Mahmoud into custody.
Las Vegas Store Shooter: The Charges
Mahmoud was then taken to an area hospital where he underwent surgery. As of this writing, he is listed in stable condition. He has been booked, in absentia, into the Clack County Detention Center on five counts of attempted murder with a deadly weapon; two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a protected person; three counts of assault with a deadly weapon; and discharging a firearm in an occupied structure.
Mahmoud, who has no criminal history, fired 16 rounds during the incident, with an equal number of rounds discharged inside and outside the store.
“The suspect in this event showed absolutely no regard for the safety of anyone in the area,” Assistant Sheriff Charles Hank told reporters. “I believe our officer involved in this shooting acted courageously and with impressive accuracy based on the distance of the shots fired.”
