Las Vegas Police Release Bodycam Footage of Fatal Shooting Following Traffic Stop

 Las Vegas Police Release Bodycam Footage of Fatal Shooting Following Traffic Stop

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police have released body-worn camera footage of a fatal officer-involved shooting that took place Friday morning near the 200 block of Madge Lane. The incident resulted in the death of 22-year-old Junior David Lopez and has raised questions after conflicting accounts were given by police and witnesses at the scene.

According to the police department, the shooting occurred as officers were en route to another call when they spotted a vehicle being driven recklessly. They decided to pull the vehicle over. As shown in the bodycam footage, once the car came to a stop, Lopez exited the vehicle holding a firearm, which he immediately dropped.

However, two other occupants of the vehicle—Lopez's girlfriend, Amber Bustillo, and her friend, Kimberly Gonzales—offered a different version of events. Both women were in the car and claim that Lopez never brandished the weapon in a threatening way. Instead, they say he had been carrying the gun in a holster all night and only mentioned to them that he had a firearm with a permit. Gonzales stated that she saw Lopez toss the gun toward the rear tire of the vehicle rather than pointing it at anyone.

Police allege that during the confrontation, Lopez made alarming statements, including reportedly telling officers twice to “shoot me.” Officers said they issued commands instructing Lopez to stay away from the weapon on the ground. However, they said Lopez ignored those commands and moved toward the gun.

Bustillo and Gonzales strongly dispute that account. They insist they heard Lopez saying, “Don’t shoot me,” just moments before officers opened fire. This contradiction has added complexity to the investigation, as it raises questions about whether Lopez’s actions truly posed an immediate threat.

As captured in the footage, Lopez got down on his knees and then moved his hand toward the gun, despite police repeatedly shouting for him to stay back. In response, both officers fired at least two shots, striking Lopez. Even after being hit, police say Lopez attempted to reach for the firearm again, prompting one of the officers to fire an additional shot. Lopez was transported to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that this was the fifth officer-involved shooting for the department in 2018 and the third fatal one. The incident is now under internal investigation, as is standard procedure for all police shootings.

Lopez’s father has publicly commented on the case, saying he plans to meet with Metro officers on Wednesday to view the body camera footage himself. He expressed his desire to understand the full scope of what happened and has encouraged any witnesses to come forward and share their perspective.

“I just want to know the truth,” Lopez’s father said. “I want to see what the officers saw, and I hope others who were there will speak up.”

The department emphasized during the press briefing that officers are trained to respond to perceived threats with deadly force when necessary, especially in cases involving firearms. Still, the conflicting accounts from eyewitnesses and the victim’s family have ignited concerns about how the situation was handled.

Amber Bustillo and Kimberly Gonzales have called for a thorough and independent investigation, stating that Lopez never posed a threat and had no intention of harming anyone. They insist that he was trying to comply with officers but was misunderstood in a high-pressure moment.

The case has prompted renewed calls from community members and civil rights advocates for increased oversight and training in de-escalation techniques. As the investigation continues, the public awaits further details that may clarify the circumstances surrounding Lopez’s death.

The bodycam footage remains a central piece of evidence in the case, and further findings are expected to be released by the department once the review is complete.




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