On November 10, 2017, a fatal shooting occurred in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven convenience store located at the intersection of Sunset Road and Eastern Avenue in Las Vegas, Nevada. The victim, James Powell, a 49-year-old man, was involved in a drug transaction that turned into a violent confrontation.
The incident began when Powell and another individual, Dominique Williams, met in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven to conduct a drug trade.
According to Williams' arrest report, the two had agreed on a trade where Powell would give Williams 10 pain pills in exchange for money and marijuana. However, the transaction quickly escalated into an armed robbery when Williams allegedly showed a. 45 caliber handgun hidden in his waistband and informed Powell that he would be taking the entire bottle of pills, which contained 40 prescription pills instead of the agreed 10.
Powell, who was also armed with a. 380 handgun, responded by firing at Williams, leading to a shootout between the two men. The exchange of gunfire resulted in Powell suffering a fatal gunshot wound to the neck. He was found lying on the ground by police and was transported to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where he died at 8:11 a.m..
Dominique Williams, who was also injured in the shootout, suffered multiple gunshot wounds. After the incident, Williams drove away from the scene and eventually stopped at another 7-Eleven located on the 6400 block of South Pecos Road. There, he threw his gun out the window before seeking help. Williams was later found by police at a gas station near Sunset and Pecos roads, where he was taken into custody and hospitalized for his injuries.
On November 21, 2017, while still in the hospital, Williams was booked into the Clark County Detention Center. He was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, robbery with a deadly weapon, and murder with a deadly weapon. Williams' preliminary hearing was scheduled for January 16, 2018.
The investigation by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department revealed that the shootout was a direct result of the botched drug deal and the subsequent armed robbery attempt by Williams. The case highlights the dangers associated with illicit drug transactions and the potential for violent outcomes when such deals go wrong.
