During a 105-degree heatwave last week, a homeless man was fatally shot at an east valley park, according to a Metropolitan Police Department report.
Detectives said a witness tried to intervene just before the June 4 shooting, telling the men that the situation was “not worth it” given the extreme heat.
The witness, Malcom Hartfield, told police that early that morning he was at Maslow Park with the victim, Alveon “Beasty” James, suspect Michael “Trapp” Tate, 26, and others described as transient in the report. While they were all under a pergola, James and Tate, who squabbled often according to Hartfield, had gotten into another dispute.
“The argument sounded heated, and Hartfield recalled Beasty made a comment along the lines of ‘Yeah, but you don’t want to fight though,’” the report said. “Trapp made comments each time along the lines of he doesn’t fight, he just shoots.”
Hartfield tried to calm the two men, he said in the report, but Tate pulled a gun from his backpack and shot at James.
James was taken to a local hospital where he died.
After the shooting, police said, Tate fled the scene, which is near East Harmon Avenue and South Nellis Boulevard. Hartfield later gave detectives information identifying Tate, including the man’s social media profile names, according to the report.
The report said Tate was arrested on Monday after being stopped for loitering at another park about five miles west.
“Detectives believe Michael Tate is responsible for the murder of Maslow Park Doe aka “Beasty” and probable cause exists for his arrest,” Police wrote in the report.
He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on an open murder charge. Court records show Tate also faces a gun charge for possessing a gun as a prohibited person. He was convicted of attempted robbery and other gun charges in 2021.
Tate is due in court again on Thursday. He is being held without bail.
Contact Akiya Dillon at adillon@reviewjournal.com.
