News Release

Contacts
Cynthia Martinez, Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex 702-515-5450

---

; "

At approximately 1220 hours, February 9, 2007, a U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement Officer was involved in a shooting incident during his regular patrol duties on Desert National Wildlife Refuge. The Service has been informed that the incident resulted in a fatality. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Officer was not injured. Several Federal Law Enforcement Agencies as well as Las Vegas Metro Police Department responded to the scene of the incident located at

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is cooperating with the on-going federal and local investigation. Consistent with Department of Interior policy, the U. S. Fish Wildlife Service Law Enforcement Officer has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. No further information is available at this time.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American Tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.