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DRIVE-BY ATTACK: Shooting victim hailed

Supporters rally outside teen's hospital; police investigate links to grad party

The victims of a Sunday morning drive-by shooting at Bob Baskin Park are a study in contrasts.

Chris Luscombe, 19, was Clark High School's 2007 prom king, a star linebacker with NFL dreams who is called "Superman" by his friends.


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  • The last known Clark County School District enrollment for David Alden Miramontes was reported in December. The then 17-year-old freshman was in the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center. Miramontes, who was shot in the head while sitting in a car, was using crutches.

    Neither knew the other, Luscombe's friends said. Both were gunned down early Sunday morning after they attended a graduation party where a conflict occurred, witnesses said.

    Miramontes, 18, was killed.

    Luscombe was shot in the torso. His friends said a bullet damaged Luscombe's stomach, colon, small intestine and liver.

    "He will pull through this. That's why we call him Superman," said 16-year-old friend Dominic Gennarino. "Everything you think about Superman, that's Chris in real life."

    Luscombe, who stands taller than 6 feet and is a muscular 220 pounds, was in critical condition Monday at University Medical Center after undergoing a third surgery. His friends held vigils outside the hospital Sunday and Monday nights. Dozens of teenagers participated, vowing to do so every night until Luscombe walks out of the hospital.

    Rian Williamson, 18, said Luscombe was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Williamson was with Luscombe when the park shooting happened about 3 a.m.

    Williamson said he sprinted away from the gunfire that erupted from a Toyota Scion, whose occupants immediately left the park, located on West Oakey Boulevard near Rancho Drive.

    "Everything happened in 30 seconds," Williamson said. "Then we heard sirens."

    The drive-by was one of a series of unrelated shootings that left three people dead and one injured over the weekend. Las Vegas police, alarmed by the proliferation of fatalities, characterized the Baskin Park shooting as "violence of the worst kind."

    "It was kid-on-kid violence," Las Vegas police Capt. Pat Neville said Monday during a news conference at the park.

    Police have no suspects yet, but said that the drive-by, which might have grown out of the earlier confrontation at a graduation party, was an ominous start to a week of commencement celebrations.

    Witnesses told police the drive-by was connected to a dispute Luscombe tried to end at a graduation party near Rainbow Boulevard and the Las Vegas Beltway. The two drive-by victims were both believed to have attended the party, Las Vegas police homicide Lt. Lew Roberts said.

    Williamson said Luscombe attempted to break up a fight between two girls.

    "It was a girl drama," Williamson said.

    Williamson thought that a boyfriend of one of the girls might have gotten upset when words were exchanged.

    Mike Galbraith, a 17-year-old senior from Basic High School, described a much larger fight at the party. Two of Luscombe's female friends were being beaten up by several girls, Galbraith said. Luscombe intervened by throwing one of the girls attacking his friends to the ground.

    Galbraith said Luscombe told him about the fight in a cell phone conversation. Luscombe told the story again when the two were at a 7-Eleven, prior to going to Baskin Park.

    Galbraith said he was at the park with Luscombe from about 12:30 a.m. up to the time of the shooting. After his friend was wounded, Galbraith said he rushed to Luscombe and held his hand until the paramedics and police arrived.

    The teens who left the party for the park kept in touch with people still at the party through electronic text messages, police said.

    That's how one group knew where the other group was, Neville said.

    Neville estimated 20 to 30 teens were constantly coming and going at the park. Eight to 10 teenagers witnessed the drive-by, which police said involved six to eight shots fired.

    Roberts said it's not yet known whether either of the victims were intended targets. It appeared the assailant shot indiscriminately, Roberts said.

    "The kids are the key," Roberts said. "There were a lot of kids at that party. High school kids talking about what happened will help us solve the case and get the suspect."

    Luscombe's friends are simply hoping for his recovery. They donned Superman T-shirts Monday in a show of solidarity for the critically injured Clark graduate, who likes to wear the superhero's logo. A photo montage put together by one group of friends showed Luscombe in Superman's royal blue while cheek to cheek with a girl. "My hero" was scrawled across the image.

    Nichole Taylor was one of the people at UMC who gathered Sunday to support the Luscombe family.

    The 17-year-old Las Vegas resident described Luscombe as a "true, real person," whom she came to know well during the couple of years they've known each other.

    "You don't have to be blood to be family," Taylor said. "Even if we aren't with him, we want him to know we are all here."

    Neville urged family and friends to take more responsibility for their children, especially if they are out late and drinking. An 18-year-old living at a home is still supposed to be under a parent's supervision, Neville said.

    Neville vowed police would crack down on house parties where alcohol is served. He also said kids have too much access to dangerous weapons. "If you have guns, lock them up," Neville said.

    He said the community cannot tolerate more incidents.

    "When is enough, enough?"

    Review-Journal writer Maggie Lillis contributed to this story. Contact reporter James Haug at jhaug@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4686.

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    notafrican wrote on September 04, 2008 04:37 AM: Well maybe one day the world will realize the only way to stop this kind of crime is to just put the blacks in jail when they are born or a zoo but thats for friendly animals so prison would be a better place when i think about it


    Report abuse

    Susan Greene wrote on August 11, 2008 02:01 PM: our heartfelt condolences from Uniondale to Vegas..the Higgins just informed me of your loss...I remember when you first brought Chris home..your in our prayers, stay strong


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    Marie Passante wrote on July 22, 2008 12:16 PM: A Mother gets to speak out finally. How dare any of you make the comments you have in reference to Chris or Dae Dae. Just because Dae Dae did not graduate does not automatically make him a thug for some gun toting cowardly idiot to shoot him. And Chris, Chris was a wonderful kid and we as HIS PARENTS raised him to respect the lives of others. We also trusted him. He was no longer a kid but a young adult coming into his own. We trusted him and knew of his whereabouts. That was his park. He hung out there during the day to teach the young kids how to play football. All you IDIOT adults out there who say, WHERE WERE THE PARENTS? What the hell would you know??? You are all a bunch of hypocrites...Tell me what you were doing when you were 17, 18, 19 or 20. And dont F'in lie about it. Those two young men did not deserve to die by the hands of that or any other idiot with a gun. There is a great big hole in my heart for the loss of my son Christopher, who was loved and will be mourned by many, many people. Parents, Teachers, Coaches, friends and family as well as Dae Dae's family and friends. A special note to Lee Yarbrough - KMA if you know what that means. Blame me, Chris's Mom, for raising a wonderful, thoughtful gentle soul who trusted her son and he in turn never gave me or his father a reason not to trust him. He wasn't a kid anymore but a young man. SO, Again I say KMA.


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    anonymous wrote on June 19, 2008 11:24 PM: I knew David, and I also know jayjay, what has happened is tragic, but why go to the park at three in the morning? they were waiting for a reaction, there was a fight at the party, then they went to the park to fight. how immature can you guys be? i have nothing against the miramontes family, nor the other kid who got shot, i am sorry for your loss.
    But these teenagers need to grow up, and see how insafe this world is. we are lucky no one else got killed.


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    MIRAMONTES FAMILY FROM CALIFORNIA wrote on June 16, 2008 11:03 PM: I am to assume that every individual who has POSTED a NEGATIVE comment(s) is perfect and has never made a mistake, done something that you wish you hadn't, or perhaps wish you could take back...guess not because we don't
    LIVE IN A PERFECT WORLD.

    Why so focused on DAVID and his mistakes? Try to refocus your attention toward the individual who took DAVID from us and seriously injured CHRIS. What was he thinking? Why did he drive back a 2nd time? Did he have second thoughts about shooting? Why did he shot? Did he mean to shoot someone? Was he really that drunk to not remember what happened? We have so many questions that we want answered, and maybe just maybe some answers will help our heartache.

    If you knew DAVID, you would feel like we as his family do...hurt and in pain! DAVID wasn't perfect (nobody is), but he was a good hearted young man.

    To the LUSCOMBE family,
    We pray for your son and his full recovery.

    Love and Prayers,
    THE MIRAMONTES FAMILY

    WE LOVE YOU DAVID!


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    Danielle Kilpatrick wrote on June 12, 2008 10:55 PM: ok thats awesome, i wrote something really long for dae dae, my first comment and it hasnt showed up.. hopefully it will




    it doesnt matter though . just wanna say i love you.


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    fhshuasu wrote on June 12, 2008 10:44 PM: dahsoufa


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    Danielle Kilpatrick wrote on June 12, 2008 10:41 PM: and im sorry but id like to say one more thing, to everyone down there posting negative and hatful things about david, especial the wild bill guy or whatever... prayers go out to you too for being so ignorant.



    if you did not know him and have hate towards him i dont think you have a right to be on here anyway, if you could have some respect and think about everyong that goes on here and reads these comments that is grieving about dae its making it that much harder...



    but whatever.




    my prayers go out to chris too i hope you all dont have to experience the loss that we have been dealing with this week.


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    Danielle Kilpatrick wrote on June 12, 2008 10:41 PM: SHERRY;



    no it is not, that was for chris because as you can obviously see the review journal does not care about a "17 year old freshman that did not graduate high school" i dont understand why chris's candle light was in the paper and not daes... i just dont understand any of this and it is making me really upset


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    Sammi wrote on June 10, 2008 09:17 PM: ive known chris for a year and a half now.
    He wouldnt hurt anymore.he has a HEART for anything and everyone! we were supposed to hangout and he was supposed to go to my graduation.me and him were really close.he was my break off partner and the one i would shot gun my hookah with. i love you CHRIS LUSCOMBE<33 we have all been at the hospital since sunday morning there buy yourside i know u can hear us i love you<333

    and my prays go out to dae dae R.I.P
    im sorry for his parents and friends


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