Officer: Man accused of shooting at ‘Repo’ reality show crew was ready to die

Carlos Barron was ready to die, North Las Vegas police Sgt. Michael Blackwell told a jury Tuesday.

Barron, a former Clark County School District teacher, was holed up in his home after a confrontation with crew members from a reality TV production when Blackwell spoke to him.

“I’m at the end of my rope,” Barron told Blackwell during a 30 minute phone call aimed at getting the teacher to end a standoff with police peacefully.

Barron is standing trial before District Judge James Bixler on charges he shot a handgun three times at the production crew of Spike TV’s “Repo Games.” No one was injured.

Authorities said at about 9:45 p.m. April 25, 2011, Barron went outside his home in the 2900 block of Vigilante Court, near Azure Avenue and Losee Road, and fired at the crew. believing they were trying to repossess his vehicle. The crew was actually looking for a different vehicle, but vans from the production were parked in front of Barron’s home.

Barron’s lawyer said he fired the gun in the air in self-defense to warn off the crew who were approaching and threatening him. Prosecutors say he fired the gun at the crew.

If convicted Barron could face probation or 3 to 67 years in prison.

Blackwell, who testified during the second day of the trial, said the school teacher was acting frantic and may have wanted to be killed by police.

“I’m armed to the teeth and you know it,” Barron told Blackwell, warning the sergeant that if police came in his home he would kill them.

Blackwell was able to glean from the phone call that Barron was taking Xanax and was stressed from an ongoing feud with his wife and daughter about the latter’s boyfriend.

About two hours after the shooting, Barron fled over the back wall of his yard and was taken into custody with help from a police dog.

Jurors also heard testimony from Preston Dardeen, a camera assistant on the show, who saw Barron point a gun at one of the crew’s security and shoot.

And prosecutors presented evidence of a bullet hole in one of the production vans and showed the jury video from the night of the shooting, where they could hear arguing and gunfire.

The host of “Repo Games,” Josh Lewis, is expected to testify Wednesday.

Defense lawyer Richard Tannery said on Monday his client was medicated and asleep when the alarm on his vehicle sounded that night. Barron was confronted by men from the show, who were cursing at him and threatening to beat him, Tannery said. Barron fired three shots in the air to scare away the men approaching him, said Tannery, who hinted his client may testify in his own defense.

Barron remains free on bail.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@review journal.com or 702-380-1039.