A tragic incident unfolded last week at a Five Below store in Las Vegas, where an employee lost his life following a confrontation. The suspect in the shooting remains elusive despite ongoing efforts to locate him.
Nineteen-year-old David Nathaniel Vasquez has been named by authorities as the man involved in the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Brandan Lucas, who worked at the Five Below store at the Best in the West shopping center. The incident occurred on June 17, and it was reportedly triggered by text messages Lucas sent to Vasquez’s girlfriend, also an employee at the store. Details about the messages remain undisclosed, and the girlfriend’s identity is being kept confidential. She was not present at the store during the incident, as reported by KTNV and Fox 5 Las Vegas.
Detectives say surveillance video shows Vasquez entering the store around 4:29 p.m., approaching Lucas in the tech area, and then quickly escalating into a fight. The store manager told investigators she tried to stand between them and de-escalate. Vasquez then allegedly shot Lucas and fled the scene.
Shortly after the shooting, the vehicle associated with Vasquez was traced traveling west on Smoke Ranch Road from Rainbow Boulevard.
The confrontation is believed to have stemmed from Lucas sending flirtatious messages to Vasquez’s girlfriend, as indicated in the police report. She later informed investigators about Vasquez’s protective nature and anger issues, which were exacerbated after she showed him the text exchanges and Lucas’s work schedule.
It was noted that Vasquez’s girlfriend avoided work that day due to discomfort being alone in the store with Lucas. A warrant for Vasquez’s arrest was issued on June 18, but he has yet to be apprehended. He faces multiple charges, including open murder, according to Fox 5.
In the wake of this tragedy, Lucas’s family has started a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral and memorial expenses. The page highlights Lucas’s warm personality and the impact he had on his family and friends, describing him as “a loving son and a devoted brother who meant everything to his family. He had a big heart and a vibrant spirit.”
“He loved spending time with his friends and family, always bringing energy, laughter, and light into every room he walked into,” the page reads. “Brandan loved having fun, making memories, and being surrounded by the people he cared about most.”
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