August 7, 2026 - 3:17 pm

The man who fatally shot Metro officer Austin Abdelnabi was suffering from serious mental health issues, the man’s cousin said Friday. He said the family never “saw this coming.”

Angel Tywan Lucas Lindsey, 21, also died in the Tuesday afternoon gun battle in the eastern Las Vegas Valley.

Lee Williams, Lucas Lindsey’s cousin, said Friday that Lucas Lindsey wasn’t evil or violent, but he said his cousin struggled with serious mental health issues — though he was unsure whether his cousin had ever been diagnosed with a disorder.

“It got pretty bad right before his death,” Williams said. “He would spend hours talking to himself as if there were other people there. He was completely detached from reality at the end.”

Authorities have said Abdelnabi responded to a call about a man with a gun at 3:57 p.m. Tuesday near the 4500 block of East Tropicana Avenue. Lucas Lindsey, who police said wore all black, including a mask over his face, was later found nearby in the 5400 block of Mountain Vista Street near Interstate 11.

While walking down the street, he pulled a 9 mm handgun with an extended magazine out of his pocket, police said.

Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said the gunman ambushed Abdelnabi. Walsh said Friday that Lucas Lindsey shot Abdelnabi eight times. Abdelnabi was rushed to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Metro officer Enrique Molinet responded to the scene, saw the attack and got out of his patrol vehicle, Walsh said.

“The suspect fired at officer Molinet, who returned fire, striking the suspect,” Walsh said.

Walsh said Lucas Lindsey was shot in the chest by Molinet and also shot himself in the head.

“Both of those wounds were determined to be fatal,” Walsh said.

Lucas Lindsey was pronounced dead at the scene.

Williams said Lucas Lindsey was a UNLV student and was brilliant in subjects such as trigonometry and calculus.

A UNLV spokesperson said that Lucas Lindsey was enrolled last fall as an undergraduate student studying construction management.

Williams said he did not know how Lindsey obtained a gun.

“I wanted to let people know that he wasn’t a gangbanger or violent person,” Williams said. “He was a person who needed help.”

Police said that Lucas Lindsey purchased the gun himself.

Walsh said Metro had previously responded to several calls involving Lucas Lindsey related to mental health. Lucas Lindsey was not arrested in those earlier incidents and had no criminal history, Walsh said.

If you’re thinking about suicide, or are worried about a friend or loved one, help is available 24/7 by calling or texting the Lifeline network at 988. Live chat is available at 988lifeline.org. Additionally, the Crisis Text Line is a free, national service available 24/7. Text HOME to 741741.

Contact Akiya Dillon at adillon@reviewjournal.com.