May 7
Watch: 'Habitual Criminal' Offender Allegedly Fires at Gay Neighbor in Las Vegas, Hurls Homophobic Slurs
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 1 MIN.
A 75-year-old Las Vegas man described as being "on parole" for "a habitual criminal offense" allegedly shot multiple times at a gay neighbor, hurling anti-gay slurs and vowing to kill him.
The alleged attack was reportedly carried out with a BB gun but the suspect, Larry Walraven, nevertheless "faces a charge of assault with a deadly weapon with a hate crime enhancement," local CBS affiliate 8 News Now reported.
Documents cited by the news channel said that the neighbor was targeted "due to their sexual orientation," the report detailed.
"The victim had called 911, saying he was standing outside when Walraven 'provided a black, revolver handgun and pointed it at [him],'" the report quoted documents as saying.
"After Walraven pointed the handgun, he fired four rounds at [the victim] with none of the rounds making contact with [him]," the documents went on to add.
Walraven also purportedly hurled anti-LGBTQ+ expletives at the neighbor, screaming, "I hope you die" and "I'm going to kill you [expletive] [expletives]," News Now 8 relayed.
After being arrested, "Walraven told officers 'he had no clue what happened,'" the news channel quoted documents, and claimed that "he was inside his home all night taking care of his mother."
The news report noted, "Because of his parole violation, Walraven will remain in custody without bail."
Watch the News Now 8 report below.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
