Las Vegas police shot and killed a downtown arts district leader Friday who was allegedly waving an inconvenient fact at police officers and city officials.
Westley Myles Isbutt, who owned the Arts Factory and Bar+Bistro, had spoken publicly about police officers being paid $66 an hour to provide security at special events. He had also stored opinions about that fact on a laptop computer he was carrying when police approached him outside his Charleston Avenue businesses Friday morning.
"He was ordered to drop the laptop, turn around and bend over, and to smile when he did it," said police Sgt. Chester P. Buzzworth. "He did not comply within 15 seconds, and in those situations lethal force is the only option."
It is unclear how many rounds were fired because homeless people immediately descended on the scene to collect bullets and bullet casings for recycling. So far this month, Las Vegas police have shot at least 632 people.
Isbutt was an Arts District pioneer who had grown increasingly frustrated with government regulations covering zoning and licensing. He was known around town as Wes Myles because ... well, because his last name was Isbutt.
He told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he was thinking about leaving town, with the $66-an-hour required expenditure for off-duty police officers chief among the reasons why.
Several city officials visited police headquarters to ask about Isbutt's complaints this week. However, when they emerged from the building, they were pale as ghosts and trembling with what appeared to be abject fear. They refused to talk to reporters.
Buzzworth said the conversation with city officials was productive: "The public can sleep easily knowing that heavily armed men will be guarding all cultural events downtown. The streets, and our paychecks, are secure."
Some were worried that Benjamin Spillman, the R-J reporter who wrote the story that contained the $66-an-hour fact, might also be the target of several dozen police-issued firearms. But a confidential police source said Spillman did not need to worry.
"Fuck, that Mower kid's still alive, right?" he said, referring to Lawrence Mower, who wrote an in-depth investigative series about how Las Vegas police frequently shoot innocent, unarmed people or violate department shooting policies but face no consequences.
"Sure, people still read the newspaper sometimes, but it doesn't have the impact it used to," said the source.
Meanwhile, he said, Isbutt's various social media accounts had as many as 3,000 followers. Add that to a dangerous fact and there's no telling how much damage Isbutt could've done, the source said.
Meanwhile, he said, Isbutt's various social media accounts had as many as 3,000 followers. Add that to a dangerous fact and there's no telling how much damage Isbutt could've done, the source said.
"Good God," he said. "What if that arts guy had Tweeted something?"
