LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A fact-finding review of evidence in the police shooting death of Jorge Gomez ended after nearly four hours Friday. Gomez was shot by four Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers on June 1, 2020 in downtown Las Vegas.
It was a tense night. A Black Lives Matter protest had just ended and Metro Officer Shay Mikalonis was shot and wounded a few miles away in a separate incident.
Gomez was shot by outside the Lloyd George U.S. Courthouse. Police said Gomez carried three guns but did not fire any of them. There is debate over whether Gomez pointed a weapon at the officers. The four officers fired 19 times at him. None of the officers had a body worn camera.
The fact-finding review was at the Clark County Commission chambers and restricted to 50 people due to COVID-19 restrictions. There were witness statements and a lot of surveillance video presented during the review.
The Gomez family, who has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the police department, was at the review and held a news conference following it.
Attorney Rudolfo Gonzalez who represents the family said they are suffering.
“What we saw was a circus, a pre-scripted hearing. What this did to the family was cause them more pain than anything else. They dragged Jorge Gomez’ name through the mud. They spent 95% of the time talking bad about Jorge Gomez. Things that were irrelevant.”
A final determination on whether the district attorney’s office will file charges against the officers will be made in the coming weeks.
The intention of the review is to provide transparency when officers use deadly force.
Gonzalez said surveillance video contradicts Metro Police and shows that Gomez, who was armed, was running away and not pointing his gun at officers when he was shot and killed.
