A call about a man with a rifle outside a Reno home led officers to what investigators believe is a connection to a violent break-in days earlier.
On March 15 at about 7 a.m., officers with the Reno Police Department responded to Carnation Lane near Lilac Lane after a report of a suspect pointing a rifle at a man outside a home.
When officers arrived, they located and detained a man identified as 34-year-old Nathan Maas near a shed on a neighboring property. A loaded rifle was recovered at the scene. No injuries were reported.
The man who called the police told officers the suspect pointed a rifle at him, causing him to fear for his life. He was able to get away, find safety, and call the police.
During the investigation, officers determined the rifle had been reported stolen in connection with a March 13 residential burglary and assault in the Reno area. Officers also found the suspect was in possession of additional property belonging to the victim in that earlier case.
In the March 13 case, investigators said a suspect entered an occupied home, armed himself with the homeowner’s guns, and confronted the victim. During that encounter, the suspect pointed a gun at the victim and attempted to fire it. When the weapon did not discharge, the suspect struck the victim with the gun, causing injuries, before leaving with multiple guns and personal property.
Investigators said evidence, including the stolen gun, prescription medication belonging to the earlier victim, similarities in suspect description, and proximity to the earlier scene, led them to link Maas to both incidents.
Maas, who police said is a convicted felon and not from Nevada, was arrested and booked on charges including assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a controlled substance, and failure to register as a felon.
Additional charges tied to the March 13 case include residential burglary, robbery with a deadly weapon involving a victim over 65, battery with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon, and grand larceny of firearms.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Reno Police Department non-emergency line at (775) 334-2121.
