Man pleads guilty to killing homeless people in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A man accused of a shooting that killed two homeless people and wounded three others has pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.

Cristobal Omar Perez, 32, pleaded guilty Monday, a day before his trial was set to begin, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. He faces 40 years to life in prison when he is sentenced April 8.

Prosecutors said a third victim is near death and if he dies, Perez could be charged and face a harsher sentence.

The shooting occurred on Dec. 1, 2023, near a highway overpass in the northeast part of the city. Police said a shooter, who arrived in a black pickup truck, fired 14 shots indiscriminately at a group of homeless people before being picked up by the getaway vehicle. At the time, investigators suspected the shooting had been planned in advance.

According to an arrest report, police said Perez wanted to “protect his family” after someone tried to break into his sister-in-law’s home. She had told him she saw a man at a gas station across from a homeless camp who looked like the alleged intruder, and Perez decided to confront the man.

Police said Perez had his girlfriend, Kylee Au Young, meet him several blocks away in a getaway vehicle. Her case is still pending. She faces two counts of attempted murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder.

Defense attorney Frank Kocka said Perez accepted responsibility and that other charges were dropped as part of the deal.

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This story was translated from English by an AP editor with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool.