Las Vegas Police Standoff Ends With Childs Death

In the early hours of February 4, 2026, tragedy struck at the Parkside Villas apartment complex in Las Vegas, leaving a community reeling and a family searching for answers. What began as a call for help to de-escalate a domestic dispute ended in gunfire, the deaths of a three-year-old boy and his father, and a swirl of conflicting accounts that have ignited debate over police tactics and accountability.

According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, officers responded around 1:20 a.m. to a report of domestic violence at Parkside Villas, located on South Maryland Parkway. The caller, Raneka Pate, was seeking help as her partner, Quinton Baker, allegedly battered her and attempted to take their young son, Kentre Baker, from the apartment. Police were told that Baker had fired a gun in the parking lot before returning to the residence, a detail confirmed by Capt. Ryan Wiggins in a briefing reported by KSNV and other local media outlets.

When officers arrived, they learned that Baker was inside with Kentre and still armed. The situation escalated quickly. As officers established a perimeter, Baker emerged from the apartment holding his son at gunpoint. "The suspect exited the residence while pointing a firearm at the juvenile, holding that juvenile hostage," Capt. Wiggins stated. "Officers issued verbal commands to the suspect to peacefully surrender, and the suspect refused to comply."

What happened next remains the subject of intense scrutiny and heartbreak. Police maintain that as Baker approached officers while still holding Kentre hostage, they were forced to fire their weapons. Simultaneously, Baker discharged his firearm, fatally wounding his son. Officers also shot Baker, who died at the scene. Officers provided medical aid to Kentre, but the boy was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Yet this official account is sharply disputed by Kentre’s mother, Raneka Pate, who says she witnessed the confrontation from inside a police cruiser. "My son’s dad came out of the apartment carrying my son. He did not have a weapon," Pate told News 3. She insisted she had warned officers that Baker was agitated and pleaded with them to de-escalate the situation without lethal force because her son was present. Pate described the moment as "a plethora of bullets" and believes that officers, not Baker, shot her child. "I watched their last moments," she told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "And my whole family was taken from me in an instant."

Pate’s grief is compounded by frustration over how the police have handled the aftermath. She said she was prevented from being with her son during and after the shooting and feels that the police rushed to share their version of events before she had a chance to speak. "They are trying to play damage control, but they will pay for killing my son," she said. The family is now calling for the release of body camera footage from the officers involved, hoping it will provide clarity, if not closure. Police have said that bodycam footage and additional details will be made public by the end of the week, in line with department policy. Pate has been told she will be shown the footage before it is released to the public.

The incident has sparked a host of unresolved questions: Who fired the shot that killed Kentre Baker? Was it the father, as police claim, or was it an officer’s bullet, as Pate believes? How many rounds were discharged, and by whom? The police have confirmed that more than one officer fired during the incident, but have not specified the exact number of shots. According to KSNV, a review of department use-of-force reports from 2020 through 2024 shows that officers typically fire between four and seven rounds each in such situations, with a total of eight to thirteen shots per incident on average. Neighbors at Parkside Villas reported hearing "a lot" of gunfire during the confrontation.

As investigators sift through the evidence, the community is left grappling with the devastating consequences. The case has drawn attention from advocates for domestic violence survivors, who warn that situations involving power and control can escalate rapidly and with tragic results. Liz Ortenburger, CEO of SafeNest, an organization supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence, told KSNV, "While technically, this poor child is a bystander, the fact of the matter is that is power and control at its most lethal. There is no deeper way to hurt a mom than to take and murder their child."

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has reported an uptick in domestic violence-related homicides in recent years, with 23 such deaths in 2025, up from 22 in 2024 but down from 34 in 2023. This latest incident marks the department’s third officer-involved shooting in 2026, underscoring the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in responding to volatile domestic situations.

For the neighbors who witnessed the chaos, the trauma is still fresh. One resident, who asked not to be identified, described hearing a woman screaming in agony before police arrived, followed by the sound of gunfire. "It’s heartbreaking," she told News 3. The community’s shock is echoed by the outpouring of support for the family, with an online fundraiser launched to help cover Kentre’s funeral and other expenses. Pate described her son as "sunshine in human form," a little boy who loved sea animals, knew their scientific names, and whose laughter "filled every home he stepped foot in." She wrote, "His hugs were the kind you never wanted to let go of. He was rough but gentle, loving, smart, athletic and always quick to share if he had something on his mind."

As the investigation continues, the city awaits the release of body camera footage and the results of official inquiries. The hope, for all involved, is that the truth—whatever it may be—will come to light, and that lessons will be learned to prevent such tragedies in the future. For Raneka Pate and her family, nothing can bring back Kentre, but perhaps answers and accountability can offer some measure of peace in the wake of unimaginable loss.