Las Vegas SWAT officers made a tense, dynamic entry into a mobile home Aug. 10, fatally shooting a gunman who took his own mother hostage. The shooting ended a chase where the suspect pulled a gun on an officer, before taking the hostage.
Las Vegas SWAT Dynamic Entry Saves Hostage
The incident began when officers investigated calls that a man “was attempting to start trees and cars on fire,” reported Las Vegas Review-Journal. That’s when an officer encountered 32-year-old Joshua Squires, who immediately fled.
“The suspect took off running, and an officer took off in foot pursuit of the individual,” Captain Nichole Splinter told Las Vegas Review-Journal. “He continued to pursue this individual on foot at which time the suspect reached into his waistband and pulled out a black handgun and turned and pointed it at our officer.”
Footage shows the suspect appear to pull a gun and point at the officer. The officer, while cashing Squires, fires a shot. He misses the target and the chase continues.
Squires ultimately makes it back to his mobile home. Once inside, he decides to barricade himself, taking his mother hostage, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“Then he was pacing back and forth, back and forth,” said Toni Squires, the suspect’s mother. “They wanted me to come out, and he said, ‘No. She’s my leverage. She’s my hostage.’ That’s why they did what they did.”
So Las Vegas SWAT came on the scene. Footage picks up at the mobile home as SWAT detonates a charge. Then at least two SWAT officers enter the home.
“They entered the mobile home and ended up confronting the still-armed suspect,” Splinter said. “A SWAT officer opened fire, striking the suspect, who then fell to the ground and was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
Squires died from gunshot wounds, while no other parties suffered injury. The suspect suffered from a long history of mental illness, according to the family.
“He battled mental illness and addiction,” Samantha Squires said of her brother, Joshua. “He wasn’t a bad guy, he just got lost.”
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