Drivers on U.S. 95 north of Kyle Canyon Road probably didn’t expect to see a police tactic that looked like it belonged in a comic book. But that’s exactly what unfolded when Las Vegas Metropolitan Police used a Grappler device to end a high-speed pursuit involving a fugitive in a stolen Volkswagen.

According to police, the August 18 incident began when 41-year-old Vincent Farmer shoved his ex-girlfriend from her own vehicle and took off with it

As officers responded, they learned authorities also wanted him in Nye County on an attempted murder warrant.

A pursuit followed, but this time the chase ended with a tool few people outside of law enforcement have seen up close.

What heck even is a “Grappler”?

It’s essentially a heavy-duty nylon tether mounted to the front of a patrol SUV.

When deployed, it shoots out and latches around a suspect’s rear wheel, cinching tight and connecting the fleeing car to the cruiser.

The anchor effect forces the suspect’s car to slow without the bone-rattling crashes that often come with a PIT maneuver.

LVMPD only began using the technology in May, but they’ve already positioned it as a safer alternative to spike strips. It also nods to the 2021 death of Nevada State Trooper Micah May, who a suspect struck while he attempted to deploy spike strips.

Police reported that they took Farmer into custody without further injury

8 News Now says that Clark County court records show he now faces charges of robbery, grand larceny of a motor vehicle, and domestic battery, along with the attempted murder case out of Nye County.

We’ve reported on how police departments across the country are actually choosing not to pursue certain suspects, citing how dangerous these chases can get. When it comes to attempted murder and endangering others, though, clearly the LVMPD chose the hunt. With the Grappler, this time it ended exactly as planned.