Pasadena man shot and killed in possible drug related shooting in Las Vegas

In what authorities say looks like a drug and arms deal gone bad, Damion Dwain Thomas, 27 of Pasadena, California, identified by the Clark County Coroner’s Office, was killed in a Las Vegas shooting last Sunday at about 2:00 pm.

Thomas was one of two men who were shot during the gunfire. Reports from several Las Vegas news agencies say that Thomas was pronounced dead at the University Medical Center and the other man identified as 21-year-old Tevin Alhashemi was in critical condition and remains hospitalized.

Investigators with LVMPD told LV’s 13 Action News, “this appears to have started over a “transaction” gone bad. One person is saying there was going to be buying and selling of firearms,” said Lt. Dan McGrath with LVMPD. “I don’t know if it’s narcotics related.”

13 Action News stated, “According to the arrest report, Alhashemi told police he and a man he called his foster brother were in a vacant apartment waiting for someone to deliver a $20 bag of marijuana when the shooting occurred.”

Metro Lt. Jeff Goodwin told the Las Vegas Review Journal that Thomas was one of two men who were shot and taken to University Medical Center where Thomas was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The report says the police were dispatched to the Liberty Village Apartments in the 3500 block of Dromedary Way near North Nellis and East Cheyenne Avenue at about 2 p.m. to investigate multiple reports of shots fired.

Witnesses told local news agency News 3 that they saw two men running through the apartment complex with a gun. They reported hearing at least 10-12 gunshots fired.

“I was in my grandmother’s house sitting at the kitchen table just looking at birthday cakes for my niece and all of a sudden we heard gunshots,” witness Brianna Richardson told News 3. “It was a good 10-12 gunshots and then it stopped for a couple seconds and then started going again. It sound like a really loud banging noise and then we started seeing people run back.”

Two groups got into an argument at the Liberty Village Apartments near North Nellis Boulevard and East Cheyenne Avenue, Metro Lt. Jeff Goodwin told the Las Vegas Review Journal. The argument resulted in several shots fired, Goodwin said.

News 3 of Las Vegas reports that Police say “two people have been detained for questioning. Officers are currently looking for at least one suspect, described as a black male with a long dreadlock ponytail, wearing basketball shorts, who may have taken off in a silver pickup truck.”

Nathan O’Neal of News 3LV reported, “At least four guns were recovered from the scene, including one thrown into a dumpster. Officers were also able to recover marijuana and pills that were tossed into the dumpster.”