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Man killed by police in Costco shooting remembered at memorial
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JOHN LOCHER/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Kirk Day, who was Erik Scott's team leader during his days at West Point, hugs Scott's father, William Scott, during Saturday's memorial at the Las Vegas Country Club. Erik Scott was fatally shot by Las Vegas police July 10 outside a Costco store in Summerlin. » Buy this photo
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Family friend Lee Ann Pusateri hugs Erik Scott's girlfriend, Samantha, Saturday at Scott's memorial service. His ashes will be scattered in the Pacific Ocean. JOHN LOCHER/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL » Buy this photo
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Erik Scott Killed July 10
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Erik Scott ran with the bulls in Pamplona and jumped out of airplanes while training to be a paratrooper.
A West Point graduate who commanded battle tanks, everything he did in life he did with zeal.
"He reached for the stars and always wanted that new challenge," said his mother, Linda Scott, one week to the day after he was shot and killed by Las Vegas police officers.
Now, she said, her eldest son is perfecting his soul in a different dimension.
Hundreds of Scott's family and friends gathered Saturday at the Las Vegas Country Club to celebrate a life that was full of adventure and achievement. Some also expressed anger and frustration over how that life came to an end.
Kevin Scott called his brother's death senseless and said it would be difficult to live his life without him.
"I feel extremely sad that my brother won't get the chance to be a good uncle to my son," he said. "He won't get a chance to have a family of his own."
Erik Scott, 38, was fatally shot by three officers outside the entrance of a busy Costco in Summerlin on July 10.
Police said they were originally called to the store because they received reports from store workers about an armed man acting erratically. Police said Scott, who had a concealed weapons permit, ignored commands to put up his hands and drop to the ground, and instead pointed a pistol at them.
Terrance Robinson, a friend of Scott's for three years, who also has a concealed carry permit, said Scott knew better than to point a gun at police.
"It's a complete bogus story they made up," Robinson said.
Another friend, Dave Sundaram, said Scott wasn't one to disobey authority.
"There's no one who knew Eric that could ever conceive of him acting in a way that is defiant to a man in uniform," Sundaram said. "He was a man who supported those guys."
Police said they have spoken to 40 witnesses, and more than a dozen said they saw Scott pull out a handgun. The Review-Journal has interviewed seven witnesses. Three said Scott drew a gun, but none said they saw him point it at police officers.
Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie on Friday urged the public to remain patient while his department investigates the Costco incident and other recent police shootings.
"In policing, one thing I've learned over the years is don't rush the processes," he said. "Let the processes work because they are there for a reason.
Throughout Saturday's service, Scott was regaled as a leader who influenced those he met.
Chuck Lang, a childhood friend, said Scott convinced him to join the Army. He also encouraged him to go into sales and to get a college degree when he didn't know what he wanted in life.
Family friend Lee Ann Pusateri said Scott did well with the ladies.
"So Erik was smart and he was kind and he was muscular," Pusateri said. "And he was courageous. And he was funny. And he was muscular. ..."
Kirk Day, Scott's team leader at West Point, described him as "like Elvis Presley with red hair."
Day said Scott was selfless, and touched the lives of many people.
"As a son, brother, friend and soldier, Erik always left behind far, far more than he ever took."
Scott, who was born at Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento, Calif., graduated in 1994 in the top 10 percent of his class from West Point and made the dean's list while majoring in Spanish.
He became a tank commander, but he left the Army two years later as the military began its post-Cold War contraction. He later obtained a master's degree in business administration from Duke University.
In Las Vegas, he sold medical devices and dabbled in real estate. Most recently, Scott worked as a sales representative for Boston Scientific, a medical devices manufacturer.
Pusateri read a letter from Scott's girlfriend, Samantha, who was with him when he died. Though she attended the memorial, Samantha did not speak to the crowd, nor was her last name given. In her letter, she wrote that she and Scott were in love and planned to live long together.
"He always told me he finally understood how his father felt about his mother," she wrote. "It breaks my heart that I'll never be able to tell, what would have been our future children, the same story about us."
Scott's body will be cremated and his ashes will be scattered in the Pacific Ocean. Saturday's memorial ended with the playing of 'Taps" during an honor guard ceremony in which his mother was presented the American flag.
Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.
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This shooting is outrageous. Mr Scott must have been a law abiding man with good self control. You don't graduate from West Point without those qualities. He was an asset to our community rather than a detriment. It seems as though our local police are more of a detriment and danger to all of us, than a community asset. If they shoot people like Mr. Scott, they could shoot any of us. The police will try to whitewash it...but no one should be allowed to get away with murder. This is a job for an independent federal prosecutor. The operations and training of our cops also need to be reviewed by an outside agency....and appropriate corrections made. Until then we all all in danger and all routine traffic stops should be eliminated to minimize contact between the public and the police.
Renostarman
YOU are completely full of it.
Mr. Scott appears to have been killed after a hysterical employee called 911 in a false panic.
The incidence of problems with Concealed weapons permits is negligible. This is no place to slather with your incorrect gun control tripe. (PS next time you make a bowl of tripe wash it first your breath stinks.)
It has been said that witness's at Costco close to Erik reported that he was first shot in the back as he lifted his shirt to expose the gun that he was order to drop. He then turned and fell face first to the pavement and the officers fired 5-6 more bullets into his back while shouting orders at him. He never had the chance to finish complying with the order to "drop the gun".
He was murdered by three thugs dressed up as peace officers. They will be charged and convicted! "...THEY SHOT THE WRONG MAN!..."
@wendybear507: You're welcome. Feel free to ask your friends to do the same.
Yet another day of the ugliness from samsmith, sounds like a puney, envious guy to me...But, to get back on the subject, I assume Metros' immediate task at had is not to go out and kill it's citizens...However, In vague situation such as this case, given the lack of the eyewitness testimony from the policeman involved, and Eriks' girlfriend who most likely witnessed most of what went down, Wouldn't one find it odd that 3 police officers would ambush and gun down a suspect who had aldready purchased his goods and left the premisis en route to his vehicle. All within feet of innocent bystanders? Sounds like poor planning, fear, and a very BAD CALL to me. It was definitely overkill...A hero COP was someone that protects the citizen...my first hand knowledge of the cops I've met in this town would lead me to believe that youth, inexperience, fear, panic, inaccountability and the cushion to believe gunning down an innocent citizen behind the badge is acceptable in this what we call the "WILD WEST". I have been a citizen of LV for 11 years and have called upon the police many times, but have yet to be fully satifised with the professionalism and experience that I am accustom to. Vegas is a breed of it;s own and I can sadly see why we are viewed as a corrupt, sinful fish bowl to the rest of the country...even in the political spotlight. Hopefully Mr. Scott won't give up till the truth comes out...sadly the payoff isn't worth it the end, but hey his kid was enough to make HIM a proud dad.
@teabrownbag: You're right, when a businessman gets killed it's treated differently. I don't know if it's about race or about class. I don't know if a well-dressed black businessman would be treated any better or worse than well-dressed white businessman. But regardless, you're right, society doesn't place as much value on the life of a kid from the hood. Maybe it takes something like this to awaken the community.
The most important part of your comment was the part where you said, "Let's rmember him and look to the future and learn something."
I think you should watch the video interview of Scott's father--particularly the very end. I'd be interested in hearing what you have to say after watching it.
http://www.lvrj.com/multimedia/Father-of-Costco-Shooting-Victim-Speaks-to-Review-Journal--98557964.html
Tragic as this was, how about we save the descriptors "war hero" and "commanded frontline battle tanks in the defense of his country" for those Vets that truly earned those accolades. Although he did serve for 2 years, it was not in a time of War. Nothing I've read tells me that Erik ever left the comforts of US soil. That aside, until we see the evidence, we really don't know the totality of the role he may have played in his own demise, if any.
@professor..what took yu so long to educate us on this. where are your posts on other stories like this.
Also, i don't need a west point education to know I should just put my hands up and get on the ground. Police don't even have to say a word. Looking at how many blacks have been shot either in the back tells me if I don't want to get shot, I should put my hands up. A thousand commands could have been given. I would had just stood there with my hands up in the air. I probably would scream to someone to start taping the incident with a cell phone.
How come nobody cares about mixed commands when others are killed? Ohh that's right..when a white dude is killed by the po po then all heck breaks loose and it's Metros fault. But when a brotha is shot..ohh it was standard procedure. But..I guess it takes one of your own to get popped in order for you to see how other's feel. Frankly, i feel the family, but others have been killed by the cops and now he is one of them. Let's rmember him and look to the future and learn something. Cops should not be held accountable if they were not held accountable for other shootings.