A Las Vegas pastor was fatally shot in his driveway during a reported dispute with his neighbor, witnessed by his family, including two children, just a few feet away. Nick Davi, 46, a pastor at Grace Point Church in North Las Vegas, was shot dead during a confrontation with Joe Junio, 36, outside their townhouse in the Courts at Aliante gated community last month.
Ty Neal, a fellow pastor of Davi, told the outlet, "Your mind just can't process that," highlighting that the family had been subjected to weeks of terror by Junio. In response, the remaining family members have vacated their home and are living elsewhere after the incident.
Killed During Heated Exchange
According to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Davi's wife, Sarah, Junio reportedly became enraged after the pastor complained about her to the homeowner's association. As the family of four was leaving their home for the evening, Junio allegedly drove past them, parked her car, and rolled down her window, as reported by 8NewsNow.
"Why don't you leave us alone? We've had enough," was shouted at Junio by someone, while one of the children inside the vehicle started recording the confrontation, as mentioned in reports.
"What's your problem with us?" Davi reportedly asked before taking a step toward Junio's car.
In a tragic turn of events, Junio shot Davi in the abdomen and also aimed the gun at Davi, injuring her. The couple's two children, aged 12 and 15, witnessed the incident from inside a nearby car.
One of Davi's children managed to capture the horrific shooting on their phone, including a photo capturing the moment just before the fatal shot, which is now part of the lawsuit.
Nick Davi and his wife were transported to University Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Happy Family's Tragedy
Davi, who was born and raised in Riverhead, NY, had been a part of the Grace Point Church staff since 2014, as reported by the Christian Broadcast Network.
Weeks before the shooting, Junio started showing signs of "escalating threatening behavior" following a report by Davi to the homeowner's association (HOA) regarding violations related to chickens and dogs, as indicated in a police report obtained by KLAS.
Junio, who held a license with the Nevada Real Estate Division, was arrested at the scene, as reported by FOX 5 Vegas.
She has been charged with open murder with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, battery, child abuse/neglect, and discharging a gun/weapon where a person might be endangered, according to jail records reviewed by The New York Post.
The wrongful death lawsuit, filed on January 19, is requesting a jury to award damages, with the amount left unspecified but exceeding the state minimum of $15,000.
Although the homeowner's association is not specifically named in the lawsuit, it acknowledges that the HOA was aware of the potential for Junio to become violent.
"The homeowner's association knew or should have known that Defendant would likely perform violent actions against deceased and Plaintiff as a result of on-going association dispute," according to KVVU-TV.
Junio is currently held on $300,000 bail at the Clark County Detention Center. Her preliminary court hearing is scheduled for March 4, 2024.
