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Former Nevada lawmaker wanted to ‘shoot it out,’ report says

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Formerly disgraced Nevada Assemblyman Steven Brooks asked officers to “shoot it out” before he led them on a high-speed chase through city streets running red lights and stop signs, according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s impaired driving report.

The incident started around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26, near the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and St. Louis Avenue north of the Las Vegas Strip where Brooks’ GMC Yukon was partially on the median.


Police said Brooks, 52, was “uncooperative” and refused to comply with simple directions and fled after threatening police and asking to “shoot it out.” According to police documents, officers believed Brooks had a gun when he made the threats because they saw a silver object in his hands.

The report said Brooks drove approximately 70 mph in a 25 mph speed limit zone and drove through red lights and stop signs.

The pursuit ended at Las Vegas Boulevard and Bonanza Road where Brooks got out of the vehicle “stumbling and losing balance as well as yelling incoherently at officers” which included obscenities and then yelling “I love you” which was followed by him getting back in the vehicle, according to documents. A K-9 was used to help officers get Brooks out of the SUV and into custody.

According to the documents, Brooks was unable to complete the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and had to be sedated to undergo a blood draw at University Medical Center around 4:50 a.m.

Brooks was expelled from the Nevada Legislature in 2013 for threatening to murder another state lawmaker. Following that he has had a series of arrests and served time in prison.

He is currently facing charges of two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a protected person, resisting with a weapon, evading, and driving under the influence. His case was sent to competency court last week where he will undergo a mental evaluation.