In the autumn of 2018, the life of 20-year-old Andru Jarone Rollins was cut short in an act of violence that shattered the evening calm of a North Las Vegas neighborhood. On October 26, Rollins was at an apartment complex on Civic Center Drive, near Cheyenne Avenue. He was reportedly outside an apartment, engaged in conversation with a group of people, when the sound of gunfire suddenly pierced the air.
When police responded to the scene around 9:40 p.m., they discovered Rollins suffering from a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. He died at the scene, leaving behind a community to grapple with the sudden and tragic loss.
The investigation into the death of the young man, a male resident of Las Vegas, initially left police with few leads, though they did not believe the shooting was a random act. The case took a significant turn in January of the following year with the arrest of a 16-year-old named Alvin Craig Calloway. The motive for the shooting appeared to be rooted in retaliation. According to reports, Calloway had been robbed at gunpoint earlier that day, losing about $50 and a cigar. Witnesses indicated to detectives that the individual who robbed Calloway had thrown some of the stolen items onto Rollins' lap, creating the appearance that he was sharing the proceeds.
Later that day, when a man approached the apartment to buy marijuana from Rollins, Rollins stepped outside to inform the individual he didn't have change. It was at this moment that he was shot. The break in the case came when Metro officers attempted to stop Calloway for jaywalking. He fled, and during the chase, officers saw him discard a handgun. Forensic analysis later confirmed this was the weapon used to kill Andru Rollins. Calloway was subsequently charged with murder with a deadly weapon and other offenses. The investigation also explored possible connections between Rollins' death and two other fatal shootings that occurred in the same area shortly after.
