Following a shooting at the Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, which left a man dead and two women in critical condition, a suspect was taken into custody early Friday.
Officials have apprehended the suspected shooter, Billy Hemsley, 54, according to Lt. Jason Johansson of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD).
Around 8:30 p.m. Thursday, a 911 caller reported a shooting that took place in an eighth-floor room at the Mirage Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
Four people who knew each other reportedly got into a fight at the motel. One of the individuals in the room opened fire on the other three as the situation grew tense, then fled.
The Las Vegas Mirage Hotel Shooting
Las Vegas police confident of solving case
When the police arrived, they found that a guy had already died and that two ladies had been injured. The injured received prompt medical attention from officers and security personnel.
The injured women were sent immediately to University Medical Center as they were in critical condition, according to Capt. Dori Koren of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The culprit, later identified as Hemsley, was not immediately identified by police, but they claimed at least one person in the room had connections to the neighborhood.
Social media posts about the Mirage Hotel highlight police response
On Thursday night, visitors to the Mirage uploaded photos of Las Vegas police officers walking around the lobby. A security guard is seen in the footage barring visitors from entering or leaving the hotel. In another video, a police officer is seen entering the hotel while holding a ballistic shield.
On social media, multiple witnesses said the hotel was locked down around 9.30pm as police checked each room to make sure everyone was okay. Then, probably after 10:50 p.m., security allowed the individuals to return.
A heavy police presence was present outside the hotel, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department warned residents to avoid the area while investigations continue.
Authorities said the shooting at the famous hotel was “an isolated act”. No threat to the public, according to Koren.
