Officer testifies he saw fatally shot protester’s rifle ‘come up,’ but didn’t initially tell investigators
Summary
Metropolitan Police officer Michael Lee told jurors he saw Jorge Gomez’s rifle “come up” the night Gomez was shot during 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in downtown Las Vegas, but said he didn’t mention that observation in his first interview with investigators. Lee testified he told investigators only what he was asked and that a union representative had advised him to stick to the questions. The central issue for the federal civil trial is whether Gomez pointed the rifle at officers before he was killed; the Gomez family is suing the officers and the department.
Lee said he saw Gomez carrying a rifle, saw him grip it and then begin to lift it. He yelled for Gomez to remove his hand from the rifle, and later saw the barrel start to come up. Lee retreated for cover and did not witness the actual fatal shots. Testimony also touched on a detective firing a beanbag shotgun at Gomez before the fatal shooting; some officers later believed live rounds had been fired at them. The Clark County district attorney declined to prosecute the four officers involved.
Key Points
- Michael Lee testified he saw Jorge Gomez’s rifle “come up” but didn’t initially tell investigators about that detail.
- Lee said a union representative advised him to answer only investigators’ questions, which he cited for omitting extra details in his first statement.
- The crucial question for jurors is whether Gomez pointed the rifle at officers before they shot him; eyewitness accounts and officer statements differ.
- Detective John Squeo fired a beanbag shotgun at Gomez prior to the fatal shooting; some officers later said they thought they had been shot at with live rounds.
- The Clark County DA declined to prosecute the four officers involved; the Gomez family has filed a federal civil suit against the officers and Metro.
Why should I read this?
Because this is one of those courtroom moments that could change the whole story. If you care about police accountability, protest policing or how tiny differences in testimony shape verdicts, this trial matters. We’ve sifted the detail: officer saw the rifle move, didn’t say so straightaway, and jurors must now decide what that omission and other conflicting accounts mean for the family’s lawsuit.
