Two Nevada state troopers were killed in a hit-and-run on a Las Vegas freeway as they helped another driver Thursday morning, officials said.
The troopers had stopped to check on a driver who was asleep behind the wheel on Interstate 15 around 3:30 a.m. when a white Chevrolet HHR struck them both, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
The driver did not stop, police spokesperson Branden Clarkson said.
One trooper was pronounced dead at a hospital. The other died at the scene. Their names have not been released, but Clarkson described them as husbands with children.
“It’s a terrible, terrible tragedy to have these troopers lose their lives in the manner they did,” Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said.
Las Vegas police Undersheriff Andrew Walsh confirmed at a midday news conference that a suspect had been taken into custody hours after the crash.
Investigators found the white Chevy unoccupied at an apartment complex around 8 a.m., Clarkson said. He did not say how the suspect was found.
Walsh did not release the name of the suspect.
“Right now during this very tragic time, the Nevada State Police is going to need that love and support from the community more than ever,” he said.In a statement, Gov. Joe Lombardo said he was “profoundly saddened by the deaths of two of our brave Nevada State Troopers, who were killed early this morning in Las Vegas.”
“This is a devastating loss for Nevada law enforcement, the city of Las Vegas, and our entire state,” he added. “As we mourn these troopers, we will never forget their bravery, courage, and sacrifice.”
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
