HENDERSON, Nev. — The Henderson Police Department released body camera video showing the officer-involved shooting of Ropati Tauiliili, 48, who fired more than 130 rounds during a standoff with officers, FOX 5 reported.
The Oct. 3 incident began around 3:45 p.m., when a family member called 911 to report that Tauiliili had come to a home and assaulted several relatives. The caller said he “slapped the kids around” and “pulled out a big old rifle.” Officers responded to the domestic disturbance and learned Tauiliili had battered residents, pointed a gun at them and left.
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Several hours later, officers responded to the home again after a report of gunfire and found a woman with two gunshot wounds. She was taken to a hospital, where she was treated and released.
Officers impounded about 80 spent rifle casings and a high-capacity drum magazine from the home, according to News 3 LV.
Tauiliili also texted his employer and later spoke with him on a recorded phone call, saying he had harmed his family and planned to force a fatal shootout with law enforcement.
“I’m gonna make them kill me,” he said on the recording.
A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department air unit helped Henderson and other area agencies locate him at a cemetery. Air footage shows him firing his gun into the air.
Body camera footage shows officers responding as shots rang out and escorting bystanders to safety. For about an hour, Tauiliili continued to fire rounds in all directions, occasionally pointing the gun at officers or bystanders. Police recovered 134 shell casings from the scene.
SWAT and other tactical units arrived and took cover near him. As he began to fire at them, two SWAT officers, Julian Diaz and Thomas Whitney, fired at the same time and struck him. Officers rendered medical aid, but Tauiliili died at the scene. No officers or bystanders were injured.
Police said Tauiliili had a Beretta 9mm handgun and a Mossberg 5.56 assault rifle. He had served about 15 years in prison in connection with a 1997 killing in Hawaii.
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