Filipino takes hostages, shoots at Vegas cops before giving up
Edison Somera. LV METROPOLITAN POLICE
SAN FRANCISCO — A Filipino man was arrested in Clark County, Nevada after terrorizing his family, kidnapping former neighbors and shooting 26 rounds in a south valley neighborhood.
Edison Somera, 37, had been kicked out of his house of 21 years in the 7700 block of Coral Cactus Court where a five-hour standoff with police began Dec. 15.
Somera’s girlfriend had been granted a temporary restraining order Dec. 8. That same day he threatened his girlfriend with violence. The court had also revoked his concealed firearms permit was also revoked by the court, according to the Las Vegas Sun.
Somera on Dec. 15 went back to the house, pointing a gun at his girlfriend. He said he was angry that his girlfriend was leaving him and he was going to lose his children.
A grown-up son tackled Somera, allowing his girlfriend to escape. Somera allegedly retrieved an AK-47, pointed it at his son and a six-year-old family friend. His baby daughter was also present.
When Somera went upstairs to look for his girlfriend, his son, the baby sister and the family friend escaped. But Somera went outside and took two neighbors hostage. As officers arrived, one hostage fled, with Somera firing at him but missing.
Somera exchanged gunfire with a police officer but no one was injured. He went to his former house with the other hostage and barricaded himself on the second floor. He fired several rounds and threatened to kill his hostage. The standoff lasted for five hours before Somera surrendered peacefully.
Somera didn’t have a previous criminal record. He was booked at the Clark County Detention Center on three counts of kidnapping second degree with a deadly weapon, seven counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one count of burglary with a firearm and one count of firing into a structure.
