Following a shooting at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada early Friday morning, a suspect was taken into custody following the incident that resulted in the death of a man and left two women in critical condition.
Authorities have taken into custody the suspected shooter, identified as Billy Hemsley, who is 54, according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Lieutenant Jason Johansson.
Police arrived at the scene after receiving a call about a shooting that took place around 8:30 p.m. Thursday night in a room on the eighth floor of The Mirage Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
A brawl reportedly broke out between four people who are believed to have known each other at the hotel. One of the people in the room opened fire on the other three before escaping the scene as tension in the scenario mounted.
Las Vegas police are confident they can solve the case
When police arrived at the scene, they found that one man had already died and two women had been injured as a result of the incident. Officials and other members of the security forces immediately provided medical assistance to the injured.
Metropolitan Police Department Captain Dori Koren said the injured women were in critical condition and were immediately taken to University Hospital.
The picture of the suspect, ultimately identified as Hemsley, was not immediately released by police; However, they claimed that at least one person in the room had ties to the local community.
Social media posts about the Mirage Hotel highlight the police response
On Thursday night, guests at the Mirage uploaded online photos they took of Las Vegas police officers walking through the hotel lobby. The footage shows a hotel security guard preventing guests from entering or leaving the property. In another video, a police officer can be seen approaching the hotel while holding a riot shield against gunfire.
Several witnesses who were present reported on social media that the hotel went under lockdown around 9:30 p.m. and that police searched every room in the facility to ensure all guests were safe. After that, around 10:50 p.m., security allowed the guests to re-enter the building.
There was a significant police presence outside the hotel, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has urged residents and visitors to avoid the area while the investigation is ongoing.
The shooting at the well-known hotel was reportedly “an isolated act,” as police put it. According to Koren, there was no danger to the general population.