LAS VEGAS (AP) - Family members say a man shot and killed by Las Vegas police after taking his mother hostage at gunpoint in their mobile home battled mental illness and drug addiction, a newspaper reported.
Joshua Squires’ mother, Toni Squires, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Tuesday that her 32-year-old son was diagnosed several years ago as a schizophrenic and he had trouble when he didn’t take prescribed medication.
His sister, Samantha Squires, said he wasn’t a bad guy but “just got lost.”
The women did not dispute police account of the Monday morning shooting, but Toni Squires said she didn’t want her son dead.
Police said Joshua Squires ran from patrol officers and entered the mobile home where SWAT officers entered, rescued Toni Squires and encountered Joshua Squires armed with gun.
A patrol officer earlier fired one shot at Squires during a foot chase after attempting to question him about vandalism in the northeast Las Vegas neighborhood.
The officers who fired weapons are on paid leave pending police and district attorney reviews of the shooting. Their names weren’t immediately made public.
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