Close to 700 property service calls, 19 shootings, and dozens of burglaries reported
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — An unlicensed apartment complex was the scene of a murder on Sunday. It is the fourth homicide in about a year, according to Metro police.
The 8 News Now I-Team has been investigating the Apex Apartments at Twain and Cambridge since August. Clark County records reveal that there have been nearly 700 calls for service at the property within the past year, along with four homicides, 19 shootings, a stabbing, a SWAT search for an open drug house, and 50 burglaries and robberies. That’s along with feces in courtyards, fire hazards because people are removing wires to tap into the electricity, and other hazardous conditions.
On April 19, the Clark County Commission authorized the District Attorney’s office to take the owners of the complex to court. That is after a violation notice was sent from the county with a threat of legal action because of the unlicensed status as well as a failed public safety inspection.
Numerous units at the property are boarded up. Tenants told the I-Team that squatters break in on a daily basis.
“We have squatters. We don’t have landlords. They’re not here,” Amy Erwin said.
The I-Team repeatedly reached out to Pro-Residential. Requests for an interview were ignored. The I-Team received an email on April 12 stating, “We recently acquired the property last year and are in the process of converting the property from a motel to apartment use. We have plans to totally rehab the property and turn it into a clean and safe place to live but, unfortunately, the conversion is taking longer than expected. The County has just approved land use and zoning back to apartment use and we are trying to work with the County on the remaining issues so that we can secure the business license for apartment use.”
County records reveal that the county denied a license for the apartment homes, and the owner has until May to appeal the denial.
As of Monday afternoon, no arrests were announced in connection with the homicide Sunday. Police said a 46-year-old man died of gunshot wounds at the scene, and a 25-year-old woman was taken to the hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.