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ENLARGE
Scott DeMars
A 23-year-old man originally from Fallon was shot and killed by Reno police on Sunday after an attempted robbery.
According to Lt. Commander Rocky Triplett of the Sparks Police Department, Scott DeMars went into Valley Market with a toy gun to steal money. When DeMars exited the business, he was confronted by police.
DeMars ran from the market and according to Triplett, raised the fake weapon before officers opened fire. Triplett also said DeMars, who lived in Reno, was suspected of a string of robberies from Nov. 4 through Nov. 8 and had robbed Valley Market two days earlier.
“We have now conducted a pretty lengthy investigation and he is ... highly likely he's responsible for five robberies in the past five days,” Triplett said.
Triplett said Reno police had someone come forward with corroborated information that identified DeMars as the suspect. Police obtained a search warrant for DeMars' apartment and on Sunday, two officers in an unmarked vehicle followed DeMars to the Valley Market.
The officers observed DeMars put on a mask and what appeared to be a black firearm from his waistband. The police radioed dispatchers of an armed robbery and took positions behind vehicles in front of the store.
“When he exited the store, they identified themselves as the police, had him at gunpoint and gave him verbal commands,” Triplett said. “He took off running across the parking lot and as he ran, he was pulling at his waistband.”
DeMars ran into the yard of a house where he turned around with the gun in hand. The officers took cover behind vehicles near the yard, and when DeMars raised the gun the police fired several shots.
Triplett said the officers again told DeMars to drop the weapon, but he refused and pointed the gun at police again. The officers responded with a second round of shots where DeMars fell to the ground.
“He was hit, fell forward and was incapacitated,” Triplett said. “Some responding officers took him into custody and tried to revive him; some medics did as well. He, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries.”
DeMars' mother, Susan Harrison, said in a prepared statement to the Lahontan Valley News many knew of DeMars' troubled past but added her son started college two years ago in Reno in hopes of earning a biology degree.
“Since no one was hurt but Scott, perhaps he deserved a nice prison sentence, instead of a death sentence at age 23,” Harrison said. “We deeply mourn the loss of our child, brother, uncle and friend.”
Harrison said DeMars was arrested in the summer and sentenced to probation; however, school had already started and one class dropped DeMars and he couldn't catch up in the other.
As a result, she said he son lost his funding for school. His social security check and food from the food bank were stolen and he fell into a depressed state. DeMars couldn't afford food or rent and mentioned to a family member he had a toy gun and that he could use the fake weapon to get some money.
The statement said DeMars was warned of the ramifications of using a fake gun to obtain money. The family thought the message had sunk in until they heard about the shooting on Sunday.
“Our family understands now he may have been involved with the weekend robberies but do not believe any prior robberies were related to Scott in any way,” Harrison said.
Harrison said the family wanted DeMars to fight through his troubles, but when the family decided to intervene is when DeMars “spun out of control.”
According to Lt. Commander Rocky Triplett of the Sparks Police Department, Scott DeMars went into Valley Market with a toy gun to steal money. When DeMars exited the business, he was confronted by police.
DeMars ran from the market and according to Triplett, raised the fake weapon before officers opened fire. Triplett also said DeMars, who lived in Reno, was suspected of a string of robberies from Nov. 4 through Nov. 8 and had robbed Valley Market two days earlier.
“We have now conducted a pretty lengthy investigation and he is ... highly likely he's responsible for five robberies in the past five days,” Triplett said.
Triplett said Reno police had someone come forward with corroborated information that identified DeMars as the suspect. Police obtained a search warrant for DeMars' apartment and on Sunday, two officers in an unmarked vehicle followed DeMars to the Valley Market.
The officers observed DeMars put on a mask and what appeared to be a black firearm from his waistband. The police radioed dispatchers of an armed robbery and took positions behind vehicles in front of the store.
“When he exited the store, they identified themselves as the police, had him at gunpoint and gave him verbal commands,” Triplett said. “He took off running across the parking lot and as he ran, he was pulling at his waistband.”
DeMars ran into the yard of a house where he turned around with the gun in hand. The officers took cover behind vehicles near the yard, and when DeMars raised the gun the police fired several shots.
Triplett said the officers again told DeMars to drop the weapon, but he refused and pointed the gun at police again. The officers responded with a second round of shots where DeMars fell to the ground.
“He was hit, fell forward and was incapacitated,” Triplett said. “Some responding officers took him into custody and tried to revive him; some medics did as well. He, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries.”
DeMars' mother, Susan Harrison, said in a prepared statement to the Lahontan Valley News many knew of DeMars' troubled past but added her son started college two years ago in Reno in hopes of earning a biology degree.
“Since no one was hurt but Scott, perhaps he deserved a nice prison sentence, instead of a death sentence at age 23,” Harrison said. “We deeply mourn the loss of our child, brother, uncle and friend.”
Harrison said DeMars was arrested in the summer and sentenced to probation; however, school had already started and one class dropped DeMars and he couldn't catch up in the other.
As a result, she said he son lost his funding for school. His social security check and food from the food bank were stolen and he fell into a depressed state. DeMars couldn't afford food or rent and mentioned to a family member he had a toy gun and that he could use the fake weapon to get some money.
The statement said DeMars was warned of the ramifications of using a fake gun to obtain money. The family thought the message had sunk in until they heard about the shooting on Sunday.
“Our family understands now he may have been involved with the weekend robberies but do not believe any prior robberies were related to Scott in any way,” Harrison said.
Harrison said the family wanted DeMars to fight through his troubles, but when the family decided to intervene is when DeMars “spun out of control.”
