After a shooting at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, early on Friday morning, a suspect was taken into custody following the incident, which resulted in the death of one man and left two women in critical condition.
According to Lieutenant Jason Johansson of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), authorities have taken into custody the alleged shooter, identified as Billy Hemsley, who is 54 years old.
After receiving a call about a shooting that took place on Thursday evening at around 8:30 p.m. in a room located on the eighth floor of The Mirage Hotel and Casino located on the Las Vegas Strip, police arrived to the scene.
According to reports, a brawl broke out between four individuals who are thought to have been familiar with one another at the hotel. One of the persons inside the room opened fire on the other three before escaping the scene as the tension in the scenario increased.
Las Vegas police confident of solving the case
When the police arrived at the scene, they found that a male had already passed away and that two ladies had been injured as a result of the incident. Officers and other members of the security force promptly rendered medical assistance to the injured.
Captain Dori Koren of the Metropolitan Police Department stated that the injured women were in critical condition and were immediately transferred to the University Medical Center.
The image of the suspect, who was ultimately determined to be Hemsley, was not immediately made public by the police; however, they did assert that at least one person in the room had connections to the local community.
Posts on social media about The Mirage Hotel highlight police response
On Thursday night, guests at The Mirage uploaded online photographs that they had taken of Las Vegas police officers walking through the hotel lobby. In the footage, a hotel security guard can be seen blocking guests from leaving or entering the establishment. In another video, a law enforcement officer can be seen approaching the hotel while holding a protective shield against gunfire.
It was reported on social media by a number of witnesses who were present that the hotel was placed under lockdown at approximately 9:30 p.m., and that cops examined each room in the establishment to make sure all guests were safe. After then, some time around 10:50 p.m., security allowed guests to re-enter the building.
Outside of the hotel, there was a significant police presence, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department urged residents and visitors to avoid the area while the investigation is still continuing.
The shooting that took place at the well-known hotel was reportedly “an isolated act,” as the police put it. According to what Koren said, there was no risk to the general population.