February 17, 2023 Update:

The Washoe County District Attorney's Office determined that the October 19, 2021 Officer Involved Shooting of Richard Thomas in Golden Valley was justified under Nevada law. 

At the time of the shooting, Thomas had an active arrest warrant and attempted to flee from detectives with the Northern Nevada Repeat Offender Program who were attempting a traffic stop to take him into custody.

Thomas crashed into two ROP vehicles and ignored repeated commands to stop his vehicle. He was ultimately shot while continuing to ignore commands to stop and accelerating away from the scene while dragging a ROP detective along the roadway, endangering his life.

Consistent with the Washoe County District Attorney Offices' ongoing public reporting on all OIS incidents, a detailed 37-page report is being released containing the facts of the case, photographs, identification of those involved, witness accounts, and a legal analysis supporting the conclusion reached.

Unless new circumstances come to light that contradict the factual foundation upon which this decision was made, this case is officially closed.

All completed OIS reports are available on the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office’s website at https://www.washoecounty.us/da/newsroom/reports.php

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October 20, 2021 Update:

We have new details released about an officer-involved shooting death of Richard Thomas that occurred in Golden Valley on October 19th.

The Reno and Sparks Police Departments released a video that details the moments leading up to the shooting.

Detectives with the repeat offenders program were doing surveillance for Thomas as he was wanted on a felony warrant.

His red truck was spotted at a gas station on Golden Valley Drive.

As it started to pull away, the three undercover detective vehicles surrounded the truck.

The detectives attempted to get Thomas out of the truck, but they say he refused to comply, and then attempted driving away.

One detective was pinned by the driver’s door as he pulled away - another was at the passenger’s side and got pinned as the door closed and the truck drove away.  

Both of those detectives fired their weapons.

A Reno detective was injured and treated at a local hospital.

All of the detectives involved are on administrative leave during the investigation.

ORIGINAL STORY: 

The Washoe County coroner has identified the man who died in Tuesday's officer-involved shooting in Golden Valley. 

The coroner says 41-year-old Richard Thomas who was wanted on an outstanding felony warrant for a firearms charge died of "multiple gunshot wounds." 

The shooting took place on Tuesday, October 19 at 1 p.m. after Detectives with the regional Repeat Offender Program (ROP) team attempted to stop Thomas. 

As police tried to pull him over, Thomas fled from Detectives in his vehicle and collided with an unmarked police unit.  One Detective was pinned between Thomas’ vehicle and a stationary police vehicle. 

Another Detective, who was attempting to detain Thomas, was still partially in Thomas’ vehicle as Thomas fled the area at high speed. 

Shots were fired as Thomas fled. 

Thomas’ vehicle came to rest near the south-bound on ramp to US 395 and Golden Valley Drive where two Detectives, one with the Reno Police Department and one with the Sparks Police Department fired their duty weapon during the incident.

One unidentified officer suffered minor injuries and was transported to a hospital where they were later released. 

An investigation is being conducted with Investigators from the Reno and Sparks Police Departments, The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, and the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office.

If you have any information that can help authorities, call or text Secret Witness at 775-322-4900. Your call will remain anonymous.

New Information Released in Officer-Involved Shooting in Golden Valley