Las Vegas Cops Shoot Up Car Sale

LAS VEGAS (CN) - A simple car sale turned into mayhem when Las Vegas police officers opened fire and wounded two people and killed a third, the survivors claim in court.

Angel Landeros claims that he and Amelia Villalba were negotiating the sale of their car to a man on Pennwood Avenue on Feb. 8, 2013, when Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officers Joseph Parra and Clyde Villanueva approached.

Landeros claims that Parra and Villanueva "suddenly and without warning drew and discharged their firearms," striking him in his left side and Villalba in her left ankle.

Landeros says he suffered a "life-threatening injury to his abdomen, internal injuries and permanent damages" and had a bullet lodged near his spine.

Paramedics took them both to University Medical Center for treatment. Landeros says they continue to suffer "excruciating pain."

A police report of the officer-involved shooting claims that Parra and Villanueva were trying to arrest Robert Torres, for whom they had arrest warrants for attempted murder and domestic violence with a weapon. Landeros and Villalba were trying to sell him the car.

The officers say in the report that they ordered all three people to raise their hands and lie down, and that Torres pulled a gun and fired at Parra. Both officers shot back. Torres was killed and Landeros and Villalba were wounded.

Landeros and Villalba say Parra and Villanueva acted in an "intentional, wanton and willful, conscience-shocking, reckless, malicious" manner that was "done with actual malice, grossly negligent and objectively unreasonable."

They accuse Parra, Villanueva and a third officer, Scott Thomas, of excessive force and constitutional violations.

They sued Sheriff Douglas Gillespie and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, which they claim "gave consent, aid and assistance" and "ratified and authorized the acts" which are "the actual customs, policies, practices and procedures" of the police department.

They seek punitive damages for negligence, assault and battery and civil rights violations.

They are represented by Cal J. Potter.

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