LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Las Vegas woman was shot and killed Friday in an officer-involved shooting after stabbing a Metro officer in the head, police said.
According to Assistant Sheriff Sasha Larkin, the LVMPD were called to the 3600 block of East Lake Mead Boulevard near Pecos Road after a man called 911 and said that his sister, identified as Sandra Lopez-Ochoa, 25, had “battered” him.
Larkin said that Lopez-Ochoa called 911 to report a domestic disturbance shortly after her brother’s call.
Officers arrived at an apartment complex in the area where they spoke with the suspect’s brother at around 1 a.m. After speaking to the brother, police determined there was probable cause to arrest Lopez-Ochoa for domestic strangulation.
Officers found Lopez-Ochoa inside the apartment on the couch. When an officer grabbed her wrist to arrest her, Lopez-Ochoa grabbed a knife and stabbed him on the top of his head.
Lopez-Ochoa turned toward another officer at the scene, Officer Rudy Sacba, 32, who shot and killed Lopez-Ochoa. Larkin said that Sacba fired his weapon five times.
The injured officer was taken to a hospital in stable condition and was released later in the day. Larkin said he was at home recovering with his family.
Officer Sacba has been employed with the LVMPD since 2021.
If Lopez-Ochoa had survived, she would have faced charges of battery strangulation, attempted murder on a first responder, and assault with a deadly weapon on a first responder.
This is the fifth officer-involved shooting for 2023. The last one was on July 21.
According to Larkin, there has been a 4.8 percent decrease in domestic violence-related incidents for the LVMPD compared to this time last year. Domestic violence-related homicides have had an 85 percent increase.
“Our agency takes the violence in these calls very seriously,” Larkin said. “Historically, these are the most dangerous calls our officers ever go on. In every case, we make an effort to provide adequate resources and follow-up for our victims to seek help.”
For a list of local and state resources for domestic violence and abuse victims, visit this link.