By Daniel R.C. DeLuca

WINCHESTER, NV — The murder of a homeless man under a bridge in Downtown Las Vegas is just one in a violent string of deaths that began last Sunday. Friday morning, at 4:15 A.M., the victim was approached while sleeping and shot twice. The victim has been identified, but the coroner’s office is waiting to release this information to the press. A nearby surveillance camera recorded the incident, and shows the roughly six foot assailant retreating to his SUV.

Lieutenant Dan McGrath described the killer as a thin man who is light in skin tone. McGrath also stated that there isn’t yet enough information to connect today’s slaying to the other attacks which have been affecting Las Vegas’s homeless community.

Other attacks include a stabbing on the 4000 block of Paradise Road at 5:30 P.M. Sunday night, in which the victim perished shortly after hospitalization; a shooting at the Rancho Discount Mall, at 3 A.M. Monday morning; and another shooting during the week, in which the victim reportedly survived. Triangulation of these events creates a four-by-three mile area, centered by the Stratosphere and the Beverly Green neighborhood. Residents in this region are encouraged to be on the lookout for suspicious activity and to regularly check their security footage. To report a tip, call Metro’s non-emergency line at 311 or contact Homicide directly at 702-828-3521.