Las Vegas Strip Shooting Suspects Had Bag of Guns, Police Reveal

Posted on: April 4, 2021, 03:36h. 

Last updated on: April 5, 2021, 09:31h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

The Texas duo who were arrested last week in connection with shootings on Las Vegas Boulevard are scheduled to appear in local court on Monday for multiple charges. They came into Nevada with a “bag of guns” and were charged on Wednesday, Metro police revealed.

Police found 21 shell casings at the crime scene
Phillip Nichols, 25, (left) and Ledaxjia Montgomery, 19, shown here. Both face numerous charges in connection with shootings last week on Las Vegas Boulevard. (Image: LVMPD via Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Phillip Nichols, 25, was arrested on 18 charges. He was being held on $250,000 bail late last week. Ledaxjia Montgomery, 19, was arrested on 17 charges. She was being held on $20,000 bail late last week.

Nichols allegedly shot three people close to the 7-Eleven on Las Vegas Boulevard South near Charleston Boulevard last Monday.

21 Shell Casings Located by Police

Police found 21 shell casings at the crime scene. None of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries, police said.

Nichols had gotten into an argument while inside the convenience store, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. That led to the shootings. After the shootings, Nichols sped away in a red Dodge Neon. Two teens and Montgomery were passengers in the car.

A Metro helicopter and several police cars took part in a pursuit. The Neon crashed into two vehicles in the area between the Sahara Las Vegas and the STRAT hotel and casino.

The four suspects then ran from the accident. One suspect got struck by a car while running away. The incident led to complete street closures on the Strip in both directions for several hours.

Nichols and Montgomery recently drove from Texas to Las Vegas with two 17-year-olds. They were staying at a local motel near the 7-Eleven.

Nichols Allegedly Purchased Firearms Out of State

Metro police also said that Nichols is a felon. He is allegedly wanted on an outstanding warrant from Texas. That makes it illegal for him to possess a firearm, Metro police said.

Cops added that Nichols bought three firearms out on the streets of unidentified cities. One of these was a .40-caliber pistol, cops said. It had been stolen by the seller.

In addition, Nichols allegedly exchanged a quantity of methamphetamine (meth) for an AR weapon while in Arizona. A third firearm, a 9 mm, was acquired in Texas, police said.

Among the charges against Nichols is conspiracy to commit murder and battery, attempted murder, battery, assault, seven counts of discharging a gun in a prohibited area, and two counts of carrying a gun without a permit, the Review-Journal said.

Among the charges against Montgomery are attempted murder, child abuse, discharging a gun in a prohibited area, battery, assault, disobeying a police officer, and conspiracy to commit murder and battery, the Review-Journal adds.

If convicted on the charges, both suspects could face decades in prison. It was unknown if the 17-year-olds were charged in the case.

Violent crime has been a continuing problem on the Strip. During the last four months of 2020, Metro Police conducted a selective enforcement initiative called Operation Persistent Pressure.

During the crackdown, Metro arrested 1,229 people and confiscated 64 guns. Violent crimes were often linked to out-of-state gang members and visitors.