Las Vegas landlord fatally shoots tenants over rent dispute
Las Vegas NV Aug 16 2021
A landlord in Las Vegas fatally shot two tenants and injured another over a rent dispute, authorities said Tuesday.
The shooting occurred about 12:30 a.m. at a residence on the 200 block of W. Chicago Avenue in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
A woman was found in the driveway with a gunshot wound and later pronounced dead, police said. After she was taken away from the scene, a male with gunshot wounds exited the home and was taken to University Medical Center.
It was unclear what condition he was in, but authorities said he was expected to survive. Another woman was found dead inside the home after officers cleared the scene.
The names of the victims were not immediately released by authorities.
Authorities identified the suspected shooter as 78-year-old Arnoldo Lozano Sanchez.
Sanchez was inside the residence and did not immediately leave, police said. At some point after the SWAT unit was called, police said the suspect surrendered and was taken into custody.
Police said the three victims were Sanchez’s tenants, and there was an argument between him and one of the women over unpaid rent.
When a witness told Sanchez to bring the tenants to court, the landlord allegedly said he would “handle this his way,” according to an arrest report, NBC affiliate KSNV of Las Vegas reported.
Sanchez was charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, police said.
Efforts to reach Sanchez were unsuccessful Friday. According to KSNV, Sanchez declined to talk to authorities and requested an attorney after he was taken into custody. It was unclear if he had a lawyer Friday morning.
He is expected to appear in court Wednesday morning.
