SPARKS, NV – Three Northern Nevada law enforcement employees were injured in multiple shootouts following a traffic stop incident that weaved into an hours-long standoff in Sparks, near Reno. Officers determined that the suspect was dead after they entered a nearby house where he was hiding, putting an end to the standoff late Friday night.
According to Sparks Police Chief Chris Crawforth, the incident began after a trigger-happy suspect fired at an Officer doing a routine traffic stop, leading to an extended police chase involving Sparks police officers and a Washoe County sheriff’s deputy. The encounter left three officers injured, who have since been treated and discharged from the hospital.
In an unfolding of events, the suspect fled the scene of the traffic stop. The escape resulted in a crash that prompted him to continue his getaway on foot. This led the involved law enforcement agencies’ officers into a suburban neighborhood near Reno.
Crawforth noted that the suspect took refuge in a nearby house after officers closed off adjacent streets, an action followed by evacuations and resident warnings to stay indoors. Upon officers’ approach to the house, the suspect opened fire again, striking the deputy and a second Sparks officer. The suspect proceeded to another home’s backyard, where further exchange of gunfire took place.
Several times during the lengthy standoff, the suspect opened fire at officers, who responded in kind. However, Crawforth did not release specifics concerning the suspect’s discovery.