Timeline details HR response before, after fatal shooting of Las Vegas maintenance worker

The city of Las Vegas on Friday released initial findings from an internal review of events leading up to and following the fatal shooting of a municipal maintenance worker by a co-worker earlier this month.

The review comes weeks after authorities say Brysen Kim, 31, shot and killed fellow city worker Joey McLean following an argument June 12 at a maintenance yard in the 400 block of North Seventh Street, near East Mesquite Avenue. McLean was 41.

“The timeline shows internal measures and actions that were taken by the city in response to employee concerns prior to the June 12 incident and the immediate steps the city took in the aftermath,” Radke said in an email, adding that the city does not comment on personnel matters.

Kim, who is charged with murder in McLean’s death, told the Metropolitan Police Department after his arrest that he had complained repeatedly about McLean harassing him, according to his arrest report.

A Metro arrest report for Kim states there was a documented history of conflict between the two, and McLean’s wife, Monica McLean, has disputed claims that her husband was harassing Kim.

Kim was denied bail and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 30, Las Vegas Justice Court records show. He remains in custody at the Clark County Detention Center, according to online records.

The Clark County coroner’s office ruled McLean died from a gunshot wound to the head. McLean’s death was ruled a homicide.

At a news conference days after the shooting, Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley said city officials are working to determine what led to the shooting and said workplace violence is taken seriously.

Kim alerts human resources in February

Kim complained about McLean’s conduct to human resources on Feb. 12, according to the city’s review. That same day, the city said, McLean emailed human resources requesting a transfer but did not provide a reason.

Kim submitted another complaint against McLean on Feb. 17, prompting a human resources investigation the same day, according to the city.

The city said as part of the investigation into Kim’s complaint against McLean, human resources interviewed nine employees over the next several weeks. McLean was placed on paid administrative leave from Feb. 25 through March 16 “so that HR and PW (Department of Public Works) could investigate concerns raised by Kim,” the city said.

According to the city, Kim raised concerns about possible sabotage involving a vehicle tailgate, harassment and inappropriate text messaging. The city’s review of findings did not provide specifics from Kim’s complaint but “substantiated McLean’s unprofessional conduct, inappropriate text communication, and verbal confrontation in the workplace,” according to the outline shared by Radke.

McLean’s transfer request from February was denied March 17, the city found. It added McLean returned to work on March 20 and received a formal written reprimand as a result of Kim’s Feb. 17 complaint.

On March 23, McLean submitted “multiple complaints, allegations, and requests to HR some of which involved Kim,” the city said. “All concerns were carried forward into a separate HR investigation.”

The city said human resources completed an investigation into McLean’s complaints, and found that “some complaints were substantiated but none related to Kim,” and that a second transfer request by McLean was not considered.

Additional complaints made before shooting

Kim sent additional complaints about McLean to human resources on June 8, according to the city. Human resources recommended Kim speak with a behavioral health clinician and the acting director of the city’s Public Works Department.

The city’s findings noted Kim spoke with the acting director of the Public Works Department on June 10 and was scheduled to have a meeting about McLean with the deputy city manager on June 15.

“The Acting Public Works Director noted that Kim seemed satisfied to hear that he was working on his concerns with McLean and that Kim understood when Acting Public Works Director told him that he needed a little more time,” the city’s review said.

On June 11, the city proposed additional discipline against McLean “for McLean’s newest conduct and performance issues,” according to the city. The proposed disciplinary action was going to be delivered to McLean the next day to notify him of a disciplinary hearing that could have resulted in further disciplinary action, “up to and including termination,” the city said.

Public Works personnel never delivered the notice to McLean because the shooting occurred first, the city said.

City action since the shooting

Since the shooting, the city has placed employees assigned to the Downtown Maintenance Section, where Kim and McLean worked, on paid leave pending mental health evaluations, the city said. The city said it is also temporarily relocating all downtown maintenance staff to the city’s east yard.

The city said it’s also providing behavioral health resources to employees affected by the shooting. City department leaders have also been alerted to look for staff that might need help.

The city will also review how compliance training is delivered and determine whether additional training or policy changes are needed after receiving final reports from Metro and occupational health and safety regulators.