Las Vegas, NV (KXNT) – A man who shot and paralyzed a Metro Police officer during Las Vegas protests over the murder of Minneapolis resident George Floyd received his sentence on Friday.
A judge sentenced Edgar Samaniego to 20 to 50 years in prison for the shooting of Metro Officer Shay Mikalonis in June of 2020. Mikalonis was shot during a Black Lives Matter protest near Circus Circus several days after Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin.
Samaniego was staying at a nearby hotel at the time of the protest. Police say he admitted to firing several shots fired into a crowd from across the street, striking Mikalonis, who is now paralyzed from the neck down.
Mikalonis, who was in court when the sentence was handed down, requires 24-hour care, and must use a ventilator to breathe. He recently returned to Las Vegas after spending time at a Colorado rehabilitation facility.