LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Metro Police held a news briefing Wednesday afternoon to release more details in a police shooting that left a man critically injured.

Everything unfolded Monday, March 1, on Lamb Boulevard and Alto Avenue, just north of Carey Ave at around 11:58 a.m. officers were responding to a call of a man bleeding from the neck and hands and armed with a knife. Police said the man refused to drop the weapon and made advances toward the officer causing the officer to shoot the man.

The officer has been identified by Metro as Officer Vidal Contreras, 30, who has been with Metro since 2017. He has been placed on routine paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

According to Assistant Sheriff Brett Zimmerman, the suspect who has been identified as Seth Greenstone, called 9-1-1 before the shooting, and during the call he told the dispatcher that there was a man walking around armed “with a knife.” Greenstone said the man had “blood on his hands and his neck” and that he was “acting crazy.”

While in route to the location, the sergeant and Officer Contreras spotted and stopped Greenstone as he was walking out of a vacant lot. Officer Contreras stopped his vehicle and ordered Greenstone to drop the box cutter.

Greenstone refused and approached the officer while holding the box cutter in his left hand.

Officer Contreras fired two rounds at Greenstone striking him. He was taken to University Medical Center for treatment.

According to Metro Police, it looks like Greenstone tried to commit suicide with a box cutter, but then called the police on himself.

Greenstone is facing the following charges:

  • Assault on a public officer with a deadly weapon
  • Resisting a public officer with a deadly weapon