On a tragic autumn day in Henderson, Nevada, the life of 39-year-old Diana Reem Sayegh Hawatmeh, a White female, was violently cut short. It was November 3, 2020, when a neighbor, 38-year-old Jason Neo Bourne, forced his way into the Hawatmeh family's apartment. The horrific encounter that ensued would leave a mother and her young son dead, and a teenage daughter critically wounded.
Diana, an educator and entrepreneur, was in the apartment with her 12-year-old son, Joseph, and
16-year-old daughter, Yasmeen. Without warning, Bourne opened fire, fatally shooting Diana and another woman, 33-year-old Veronica Muniz, who was the family's housekeeper. Yasmeen was also shot multiple times but survived her injuries. In the chaos that followed, Bourne kidnapped young Joseph and fled to a nearby vehicle as police began to arrive at the scene.
Responding officers located Bourne in the car, holding Joseph hostage with a firearm. As they attempted to de-escalate the volatile situation, Bourne reportedly held the gun to the boy's head. This threatening move prompted officers to open fire on the vehicle. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, both Jason Neo Bourne and 12-year-old Joseph Hawatmeh were killed. Authorities later stated that they believe Bourne was killed by police gunfire, while alleging that Joseph was shot by Bourne.
The motive for this senseless act of violence remains unclear. Bourne, who lived in an apartment above the Hawatmehs, had a history of mental health issues. During the incident, he made incoherent calls to police dispatchers, referring to himself as a comic book villain. The tragic event left the Henderson community in shock and mourning the loss of a beloved mother and her young son. The investigation into the incident also led to a federal lawsuit filed by Joseph's father against the Henderson Police Department, questioning the actions of the officers involved in the fatal shooting of his son.
