In the early hours of New Year's Day 2021, a celebration in North Las Vegas turned deadly, claiming the life of 31-year-old Lazareo Jones, a Black male. The incident, which marked the first homicide in the Las Vegas Valley for the year, unfolded at a party on the 3400 block of North Bruce Street. Police were dispatched to the scene around 4:15 a.m. following multiple reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered Jones with at least two gunshot wounds.
He was rushed to University Medical Center, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The Clark County coroner's office later confirmed his death as a homicide resulting from multiple gunshot wounds.
Initial investigations by the North Las Vegas Police Department suggested the shooting stemmed from a dispute at the party. Detectives believed Jones had been in an argument with another man over a gun when a third individual approached and shot him. Further details emerged, pointing to a confrontation between rival gangs. Jones was identified as a member of the "Hustlers Taking Over" gang. He had attended a New Year's Eve party for the "Gerson Park Kingsmen" gang.
The investigation led to the arrest of Aaron Thomas, who was allegedly a member of the GPK gang. According to court documents, the altercation began when Jones approached a GPK member, referred to as Little Newbie, and tapped him on the chin. This led to a struggle over a gun. During this fight, Jones's sister, who was also present, witnessed two muzzle flashes that appeared to come from Thomas's direction, who was standing five to ten feet away. Jones immediately fell to the ground.
Three weeks after the shooting, Jones's sister identified Thomas as the shooter in a photo lineup. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and a subsequent search of the vehicle he was driving uncovered a box of bullets of the same caliber and manufacturer as the casings found at the crime scene. Aaron Thomas was later convicted by a jury of second-degree murder and two counts of discharging a firearm within a structure. The prosecution's theory was that the shooting was motivated by the gang rivalry, as Jones was wearing red, the color of his gang, at the rival gang's party.
