LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A North Dakota runaway teen was fatally shot after a group of teens were play fighting at a northeast Las Vegas apartment, according to an arrest report.
On Monday, LVMPD responded to a homicide on Kepler Drive, where they found a 15-year-old suffering a gunshot wound.
Police would later identify the victim as James Lobue.
Las Vegas police identified Browdy Lee Shaffer as the suspect on Wednesday, Sept. 5. He faces open murder with a deadly weapon.
Police at the scene identified two adults and three teens who were inside the apartment at the time of the shooting.
Officers say Lobue was not a resident of the home.
According to the arrest report, homicide detectives spoke with one of the juveniles, who detailed the moments that led to the shooting.
The day before the shooting, Lobue, along with other juvenile boys, were found by a male adult sleeping in the living room of the apartment.
Police said the adult got upset and threw water over the boys.
The following day, Shaffer confronted the group of boys with what was described as a “khaki” semiautomatic pistol. The juvenile told police Shaffer waited for a specific individual to arrive at the apartment.
The juvenile told police the boys were in a room across the hall when “play fighting” began. While Shaffer was standing beside Lobue, the gun was fired.
The group ran out of the room while Lobue was lying on the floor with apparent wounds to his side. Lobue was taken to the hospital, where he later died, police say.
The coroner’s office shared the autopsy report with LVMPD, which explained Lobue’s death was caused by the gunshot wound to his torso.
According to court documents, Shaffer appeared in court on Sept. 5.
Clark County Detention Center reports Shaffer remains in custody.
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