On Christmas Eve of 2018, in a CVS parking lot in North Las Vegas, Nevada, the life of 18-year-old Kwavon-tai Thomas was tragically cut short. The young Black / African American man was shot multiple times and died in his brother's arms. Witnesses reported seeing Thomas running from an individual before hearing the sound of gunshots at approximately 4:45 p.m. near East Lake Mead Boulevard and McDaniel Street.
Despite the efforts of bystanders and responding officers, he succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
The investigation into the shooting suggested the incident stemmed from a prior dispute. It is believed that an argument between Thomas and the shooter preceded the fatal encounter. Family members indicated that the conflict may have originated from a social media feud involving a girl. On the day of the shooting, both Thomas and the suspect had reportedly been on the same bus before the argument escalated. After the shooting, the suspect was seen jumping over a nearby wall and fleeing the area.
In the days following the tragic event, the North Las Vegas Police Department, with the assistance of the FBI-led Las Vegas Criminal Apprehension Team, identified and apprehended a suspect. Jermariun Hickman, who was 17 years old at the time, was arrested in Laughlin, Nevada. He was subsequently booked into the Clark County Detention Center and charged with one felony count of murder with a deadly weapon.
Kwavon-tai, known affectionately to his family as "Nudie" and to his friends as "K3," was remembered as a caring and goofy older brother to his six younger siblings. He was a senior at Valley High School and a football player who loved his family deeply. His death sent shockwaves through his community, who gathered for a candlelight vigil to mourn the loss of a young life full of promise.
