A heartbroken man from New Mexico is grappling with the devastating loss of three family members in a North Las Vegas shooting spree, which also left his 13-year-old granddaughter critically injured. Sal Muñoz, 59, of Albuquerque, made the nearly 600-mile journey to the Las Vegas Valley on Tuesday morning after learning that his ex-wife, daughter, and grandson were fatally shot, and his granddaughter was seriously wounded on Monday night at an apartment complex.
The suspect, identified as 47-year-old Eric Adams, died by suicide on Tuesday morning as authorities closed in on him during a search, officials said. “It’s just very hurtful,” Muñoz told NBC News late Wednesday afternoon. “A senseless act. He goes into somebody’s house and starts shooting people.”
Muñoz’s ex-wife, Damiana “Anna” Muñoz, 59; his daughter, Amy Muñoz, 40; and his grandson, Christopher Damian, in his early 20s, were killed in the shooting. His 13-year-old granddaughter, Olivia Muñoz, remains in critical condition. Authorities have not officially released the names of Muñoz’s family members.
The Clark County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Kayla Harris, 24, died from wounds to her head, neck, and chest. Another woman killed in the rampage has not been publicly identified. The Las Vegas Police Department’s Force Investigation Team is assisting in the investigation, North Las Vegas police said.
North Las Vegas police reported that officers initially responded to an apartment complex shortly after 10 p.m. on Monday and found two wounded women in their early 40s and late 50s, who were later pronounced dead. A wounded 13-year-old girl was also at the apartment.
Muñoz explained that the apartment belonged to his ex-wife, who lived upstairs from Adams. She sometimes drove Adams to the bus stop so he could get to work. Muñoz’s 16-year-old son was also in the apartment when the shooting began but was not injured, as the gunman did not know he was inside.
At a nearby apartment, officials discovered two other women in their mid-20s and a man in his early 20s who had been shot, police said. “It’s very, very hurtful,” Muñoz said. “I’m not sure what was going through [Adams’] mind.”
North Las Vegas officials declined to provide additional comment on Wednesday night. Muñoz recounted his son’s account of how the violence unfolded: Shortly before the shooting, Muñoz’s grandson, Damian, received a call from the daughter of Adams’ girlfriend, inviting him to come downstairs to play video games. When Damian arrived, he found two people dead and was then shot himself.
Damian’s mother went downstairs to check on her son and told Adams she was going to call the police. Adams followed her upstairs and fatally shot Muñoz’s daughter and ex-wife, also wounding his granddaughter.
Muñoz struggled to find the words to describe his slain family members. He shared that his daughter, Amy, was on the verge of becoming a professional respiratory therapist. “I’m still grieving. I’m not going to have them in my life anymore,” he said.
Bobbie Anne Adams, the mother of the gunman, told NBC News on Wednesday that her son, Eric, was attending church and trying to live a positive life. Adams, who had six children, worked odd jobs, was a good singer, and kept the family laughing at reunions. “What was done that night, I don’t wear it like a trophy. But he loved his family, his mother, and his children,” she said. “He wasn’t perfect, but he was still my son.”
Eric Adams had a criminal history dating back decades. In February, he was charged with domestic battery by strangulation, according to NBC affiliate KSNV of Las Vegas. His previous arrests included charges of burglary with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm, trafficking cocaine, battery of a prisoner, and battery of a police officer, the station reported.
The tragic incident has left the Muñoz family and the community in shock and mourning. As the investigation continues, the focus remains on understanding the motive behind this senseless act of violence and providing support to the surviving family members.
Source: NBC News
