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Erin Hines
Riding in a Nissan Altima to a quiet North Las Vegas neighborhood with vindictive intentions, a 17-year-old passenger had reservations about being a gunman, so he instead asked to take the wheel, according to an arrest report released Wednesday.
A family of five was sitting in the kitchen — working on a school science project — when a group of five showed up Nov. 1 to spray bullets into their two-story house on Courtney Michelle Street, retaliating for a previous gang-related shooting.
Sensing life-threatening danger in his neighborhood after the guns blasted, a retired Air Force Security Forces airman opened fire on the screeching car as it fled, piercing the front passenger’s side and hitting a man in the head.
Angelina Erives, 11, remembered as a “perfect child” who loved God and spicy Cheetos — an innocent victim — was fatally wounded; the adult suspect later died; the getaway driver, Erin Deshawn Lynn Hines, 17, is accused of murder, and the military veteran is a legal gun owner not accused of a crime.
Three other male suspects remain on the run. Angelina’s parents and two sisters dodged bullets.
Hines' arrest report offers insight into what occurred the night he and the four others attacked what ended up being the wrong house.
Sitting in the front passenger seat of the sedan, Hines told the group that he wanted to drive, police said. They were on the way to “settle a beef” for a recent gang-related shooting.
Hines told the motorist he was a better driver and didn’t want him to get hurt, according to the report, so they switched sides. Hines later said that he took the wheel so he didn’t have to shoot into the house, which the group had planned to do on their way there, police said.
Hines heard up to 30 gunshots blasted from the weapons of three shooters, Hines told police. They got back in the car, and he heard more gunshots coming from outside as they retreated.
He stopped the car at an unidentified location where the three shooters got out and ran off, police said.
One of the tires was shredded and the car broke down about 3 miles from the slaying scene, police said. That’s where Hines asked a passerby to call 911 to get medical attention for Guy Lee Banks III, 19, who was shot in the head.
Banks died two days later, police said.
The group, from a gang known to North Las Vegas Police, intended to attack another gang — but they lived in a different house.
Hines remained in custody Wednesday.
Anyone with information is asked to call North Las Vegas Police at 702-633-9111. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or crimestoppersofnv.com.