ST. GEORGE — A man was arrested Tuesday evening and charged with attempted murder after he allegedly fired a weapon into a vehicle near an area where a youth football team was practicing.
Around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Mesquite Police officers responded to the area between Old Mill Road and Desert Drive after receiving multiple 911 calls about an intoxicated man, according to a press release issued by the Police Department.
Callers alleged the man fired several shots during a dispute, then fled the area.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers set up a containment perimeter and began searching for the man. A Nixle alert (a community information service used in emergencies to alert the public) was sent out to area residents advising them to stay indoors during the incident.
Within minutes of beginning the search, officers located the suspect, Andrew Guerrero, 30, of Mesquite, Nevada, and took him into custody without incident, the news release states.
During the investigation, police say they learned Guerrero had an argument with a female inside a residence and then went outside and fired multiple rounds into the ground. Two male friends of the female arrived in a vehicle and reportedly confronted Guerrero.
As they were driving away, Guerrero fired into the vehicle, nearly striking one of the males, authorities say.
“Fortunately, no injuries were reported during this incident,” the news release states.
Guerrero was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including attempted murder, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and discharge of a firearm into a vehicle. He was also charged with a gross misdemeanor discharge of a firearm where a person might be endangered, gross misdemeanor destruction of property, misdemeanor discharge of a firearm on a public street, and misdemeanor possession of a firearm while intoxicated.
Chief Maquade Chesley said in the press release he was impressed with the quick and decisive actions of dispatchers, officers and supervisors.
“Their actions led to the swift apprehension of a violent intoxicated armed criminal,” Chesley said. “This incident could have quickly turned into an active shooter or hostage scenario due to the proximity of the rec center and young football players practicing nearby.
“One of our detectives rushed to the area and placed himself between the location of the shooting and a youth football team. That is where the detective located the offender and safely placed him in custody while players continued with their practice.”
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.