On the evening of February 15, 2011, events unfolded in Las Vegas that would end the life of a 49-year-old Caucasian male named Tory R. Illa. His death was the result of a confrontation with law enforcement.
Earlier that day, Illa had been at a residence on Fairfax Avenue. For reasons that remain unclear, he abruptly left the home. Later, at 8:47 p.m., the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department received a 9-1-1 call from a resident on the same street. The caller reported that a man, armed with a knife, was attempting to force his way into the home, claiming that someone was after him.
When police officers arrived at the scene, they encountered Illa. According to the official review of the incident by the Clark County District Attorney's Office, Illa attacked the officers with the knife. In response to what they perceived as a lethal threat, two officers, identified as Juan Guzman and Mike Henry, discharged their firearms. Illa was struck by the gunfire and collapsed at the scene.
An autopsy was later conducted by the Clark County Coroner's office, which determined that the cause of death was gunshot wounds. The District Attorney's Office reviewed the case and concluded that the officers' actions were a reasonable use of force in response to being attacked and, therefore, not criminal in nature. No arrests were made in connection with the death of Tory R. Illa.
