Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
This public fact-finding review was held because the Clark County District Attorney's Office made a preliminary determination that no criminal prosecution of the officers involved in the death of Sebastian Gomez is appropriate. Clark County Ordinance Chapter 2.12 requires a public review following such a determination. The hearing, held on October 27, 2026, at 9:00 AM in Las Vegas, Nevada, presented essential facts surrounding the death of Mr. Gomez on August 8, 2025. Chief Deputy District Attorney Sam Kern presented the case, and Jeff Banks served as the ombudsman for the public and the Gomez family.
Presentation by Detective David Brooks (North Las Vegas Police Department): Detective Brooks presented a PowerPoint summarizing the investigation. The incident began at 1:43 PM on August 8, 2025, when Maria Gomez called 911 reporting that her son Sebastian had punched her in the face and was armed with a knife. Officers Swanson, Castro, and Messias arrived and located Sebastian Gomez in the 3100 block of Emmons Avenue, holding a knife in each hand. Officers repeatedly commanded him to drop the knives in English and Spanish, but he refused and walked away. At 1:50 PM and 18 seconds, Officers Castro and Messias discharged their firearms, striking Gomez five times. Officers rendered aid, and he was transported to UMC Trauma, where he was pronounced deceased at 2:21 PM. The autopsy by Dr. Lisa Gavin ruled the death a homicide due to multiple gunshot wounds (two to the neck, one to the left shoulder, one to the abdomen, one to the right forearm). Toxicology was negative for alcohol or illicit drugs but positive for aripiprazole, an antipsychotic used for schizophrenia. Officer Messias fired six rounds; Officer Castro fired three rounds. Both officers stated they feared for their lives and the safety of others when Gomez lunged at them. The officers' body-worn camera and cell phone video were shown. Detective Brooks noted that Gomez had a prior arrest history including domestic battery and resisting with a deadly weapon (knife).
Ombudsman Jeff Banks' Questioning of Detective Brooks: Banks asked about the consistency of gunshot wounds with officer descriptions, the ability to determine which officer fired which shots (ballistic report existed but details not recalled), the impact of bystanders on officer focus, the lack of specially trained crisis intervention officers on scene (though crisis negotiation was requested), the availability of less-lethal options (taser was present but deemed ineffective due to distance and sunlight; baton and OC not used; less-lethal beanbag not available), the possibility of shooting to wound (detective explained officers are trained to shoot center mass to stop the threat, not to wound), and why officers did not wait for backup (Gomez began advancing toward them). Banks also asked about communication of Gomez's psychiatric history to the officers—Detective Brooks confirmed it was not relayed before the shooting. Banks noted the family's questions and that no department contact was maintained with the family after initial investigation. Regarding first aid, it was rendered immediately after the shooting.
Has made a preliminary determination that no criminal prosecution of officers involved in the death of Sebastian Gomez is appropriate. Clark County Ordinance Chapter 2.12 requires public review following such a determination. This is not a trial. The purposes of today's proceedings is to present the public with essential facts surrounding the death of Mr. Gomez. Chief Deputy Dick Chief Deputy District Attorney Sam Kern will present today's fact finding review on behalf of the district attorney's office. He will determine the witness or witnesses to be called. The ordinance does not provide subpoena power on my behalf and does not allow for any other party to call witnesses. Jeff Banks has been appointed as the embudsman. He represents both the public and the Gomez family. He will have the opportunity to ask questions of the witness or witnesses. The procedure for questioning witnesses shall be informal with a view providing the public with relevant information regarding the use of force and the rules of evidence shall not be strictly enforced. Members of the public observing this review may submit proposed written questions on the forms located in the back of this room and present it to one of the officers. I will ask the questions unless I determine that whether it is irrelevant, redundant, or an abuse of the review process. Throughout this proceeding, the following material is required to be presented, may contain graphic images or language. Does anybody have anything to add today? Okay. Mr. Kern, please feel free to call your first witness. Thank you. The state calls North Las Vegas Police Department Detective David Brooks. Okay, go ahead. Good morning. My name is Detective David Brooks. I am employed with the City of North Las Vegas Police Department as a homicide investigator. I was not the primary investigator for this officer involved shooting. Those two detectives of one is retired and one is promoted to the rank of sergeant, no longer in the bureau. Therefore, I was asked to present this presentation involved the officer involved shooting. Thank you. Detective Brooks, can you kind of walk us through the process for investigating an officer involved shooting? Yes. When detectives are arrived on scene, we're responsible for maintaining that all the correct evidence is collected, uh witnesses are talked to, and rules of uh investigative process uh to include um Nevada revised statutes and pertinent case law and department policy and procedure are followed during the investigation. And is the investigation into an officer involved shooting a full criminal investigation? Yes, it is. And so does that involve collecting all of the available evidence? Yes, it does. And in this case, does that include all available surveillance video, all uh available witness statements, and all the physical evidence at the scene? Yes, it does. And is that investigation uh completed um to the complete standard of a full criminal investigation, uh, just as you would with any uh any crime scene. Yes, it does. Did you create a PowerPoint uh regarding the investigation into this case? Yes, I did. Would you please present that? Yes, I will. Again, this involves the um fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred on October 8th, 2025 under North Las Vegas police case number 250808, 0014857. Uh an overview of the investigation. Determined that on Friday, August 8th, 2025, around 1343 hours.