A horrific scene unfolded on the Las Vegas strip Thursday morning, near the Venetian hotel and casino. Two people were killed and six others injured in a mass stabbing incident. The male suspect reportedly approached several showgirls while holding a knife and, claiming he was a chef, asked to pose for a picture, then, when they declined, began stabbing them.
Per KTNV:
The suspect was taken into custody in front of the Venetian, reportedly with a significant amount of blood “on his sleeves.” Police said multiple victims were transported to area hospitals with “unknown extent of injuries.”
Five of the patients were taken to University Medical Center’s trauma center for treatment, a hospital spokesperson confirmed:
“One patient is in critical condition and one patient has passed away. Two of the patients are in serious condition and one is in fair condition. Our team members at the UMC Trauma Center continue to work tirelessly to provide these patients with the highest level of care available.”
Marissa Mussi, a spokesperson for Sunrise Hospital, has also confirmed that two additional victims are being treated at Sunrise Hospital, who are both in “fair condition.”
Two of the victims have been identified as Brent Allan Hallett, 47, of Las Vegas, and Maris Mareen Digiovanni, 30, of Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Police issued a press release shortly after the incident:
They have since identified the suspect, whose motivation remains unknown:
Witnesses described the frightening scene:
One witness from Canada shared a photo with 13 Action News of a showgirl being taken away from the scene on a stretcher.
Another witness, Pierre Fandrich of Montreal, Canada, spoke to KTNV through a translator. He says he was walking along the strip when he thought he heard “three or four showgirls laughing,” though it turned out to be screaming. Fandrich says he saw “a lot of blood” as one woman ran across the bridge, one was on the ground and another — with an apparent stab wound on her back — tried to help the woman on the ground. Another person approached them and attempted to help the woman on the ground by doing CPR until the police arrived, Fandrich says.
At first, Fandrich says he “thought a girl fell from the bridge because there was a lot of blood on the ground.” Fandrich did not see the suspect in the aftermath because “everything happened so fast.”
Not exactly what you’re expecting to encounter while strolling the Strip on a sunny morning.