Posted on: October 2, 2020, 10:53h.
Last updated on: October 2, 2020, 11:08h.
A shot was fired into the MGM Grand Las Vegas gaming floor during a struggle over a handgun Friday morning. The discharge is the latest incident involving firearms on or near The Strip.
Friday’s handgun discharge took place when one of two men engaged in an argument pulled out the firearm. A third person took the gun away from the suspect, Las Vegas Metro Police Lt. Frank Humel told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The third person was not identified in press reports.
The two suspects fled from the casino. They went in different directions, reported KLAS, a local TV station.
The third person handed the gun to casino security officers. Police were notified at 2:38 a.m. PT.
When reached for comment, MGM Resorts International spokesman Brian Ahern told Casino.org, “We are assisting Metro with their investigation. Operations are unaffected and continue normally.”
There were no injuries from the gun’s discharge, the Review-Journal said. The incident took place near casino elevators, KNTV, another local TV station, reported.
Recent Shootings Near Strip
Last month, an occupant in a passing car fired a gun into a crowd in a parking lot near the Stage Door Casino in Las Vegas. The trio of wounded victims required treatment at a local hospital.
Three men later were arrested for the shooting. The Stage Door features video poker and slot machines.
Also, in September, a person was shot in the leg following a fight near the Aria Resort & Casino. She suffered minor injuries.
That shooting took place during a birthday party held for MoneyBagg Yo, according to social media posts. The rapper denies he was the target of the shooting, the Review-Journal said.
Earlier, another victim was shot five times during a fight in front of Paris Las Vegas. That person and a second victim are recovering from injuries.
Vegas Is Dangerous
Posting on MGM Grand’s Facebook page this week, Norik Bakhdanyan said, “Vegas is (a) very dangerous place to be these days. No security, no protection, and service is not the way it used to be. I was there (a) month and a half ago and did not feel safe at all.”
Bakhdanyan doesn’t blame MGM for the situation. But Bakhdanyan “wants to see police protection.”
Another Facebook poster, Luis Valdez, asked, “How many shooting on the strip last week? Just 3? I’ll pass.”
Last month, Metro Police Capt. Dori Koren told the Review-Journal that aggravated assaults on or near The Strip have jumped 29 percent when contrasted to the same period during 2019. As of Sept. 19, there were 308 aggravated assaults in the department’s Convention Center Area Command.
During the same period in 2019, there were 238 reports of aggravated assaults in the same locale. Aggravated assaults involving a firearm were up 35 percent this year from 2019 in the Convention Center Area Command. Police have made more than 1,100 arrests and seized 64 guns in downtown Las Vegas and on The Strip over recent weeks, according to Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo.
In response to the increase in crime, more Metro officers were assigned to The Strip area starting last month. The initiative is part of “Operation Persistent Pressure” to improve safety.
In addition, misuse of mobility scooters along The Strip began over the last couple of months. Complaints were made to the police department. Metro officers are stepping up their enforcement. Some scooters were used in crimes.