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UPDATE: Las Vegas police officer shot during confrontation earlier this week identified

Posted at 3:28 AM, Aug 22, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-24 12:33:45-04

UPDATE AUG. 23: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officials have identified the officer involved in Wednesday night's shooting as 33-year-old Detective Austin Boone.

Bone has been with the department since 2009 and is assigned to the Convention Center Area Command, Tourist Safety Division.

The detective has been placed on administrative leave pending a review of the shooting.

ORIGINAL STORY
A Las Vegas police officer was injured by gunfire in a shooting near Sunking Street and Dole Avenue, which is near Decatur Boulevard and Gowan Road.

INTERACTIVE MAP: Shootings involving Las Vegas valley police officers | 2019

According to Las Vegas police Capt. Nichole Splinter, an off-duty officer observed a group of people surrounding another person around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The officer approached the group in an attempt to stop diffuse the situation. Someone in the group turned on the officer and pointed a gun at him.

The officer and the person with the gun began shooting at each other. The shooter and the other people then left the scene in a car.

A car was stopped at 4th Street and Ogden Avenue. Three people were taken into custody. Two of those people had gunshot wounds. They were transported to UMC Trauma to be treated.

Roads in the area where the shooting occurred and where the suspects were arrested were closed for several hours after the shooting. All roads were reopened around 7:30 a.m.

Las Vegas Police Protective Association President, Steve Grammas, was at the hospital with the wounded off-duty officer before he sat down with 13 Action News. He says the officer is doing well and is expected to be okay.

Apart from Wednesday's incident, in the past seven days, there have been several shootings of police officers in 5 other states.

These shootings were not fatal, and happened during traffic stops, tense standoffs and in some cases ambushes while officers were serving warrants at homes.

"It's getting worse. No doubt about it. I think i did an interview about it a year ago when i said that. It's going to get worse because our leaders, some of our politicians saying listen: Right wrong or indifferent police are not the people you need to be fighting."

Grammas says now more than ever, officers need to hear from the community.

"We know that it's there but now is the time for them to get verbal and get vocal and say hey we do support you."

All of the injuries appear to be non-life-threatening.

It is unknown if there are any outstanding suspects.

This incident the 14th officer-involved shooting for 2019 in Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's jurisdiction. The identity of the officer will be released after 48 hours.