On October 6, 2022, a stabbing spree occurred along the Las Vegas Strip, killing two people and injuring at least six.[2][3] The incident occurred in front of the Wynn Casino.[4] It is the deadliest stabbing attack in the United States since the 2020 Knox County stabbing.
| 2022 Las Vegas Strip Stabbings | |
|---|---|
| Location | Outside: Wynn Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Date | October 6, 2022 11:40 – 11:42 a.m. (PST) |
Attack type | Mass stabbing |
| Weapons | Kitchen knife |
| Deaths | 2 |
| Injured | 6 |
| Motive | Believed victims were "laughing at him and making fun of his clothing" |
| Accused | Yoni Christian Barrios[1] |
Attack
editSecurity footage shows a man entering the Wynn Casino, where he reportedly asked the janitor to contact ICE for him so he could return to his home in Guatemala. Shortly afterward, he then told a security guard at the Wynn that he was trying to sell his knives. Just before 11:40 a.m. when performers dressed as showgirls were approached by the suspect outside the hotel, he reportedly told a group of four showgirl impersonators that he was a chef at the Wynn. The suspect asked to take a picture with some of the showgirls for free, but they declined. Soon after, he proceeded to stab two of the showgirls. He then began running and attacked 6 more people — a combination of locals and tourists — before fleeing, pursued by witnesses.[5] A man in a bloodstained chef's white jacket was arrested a short time later, and police retrieved a knife from nearby bushes that they believed had been thrown there in the retreat.[6]
Police reported that the accused thought that his first victims were "laughing at him and making fun of his clothing", and that he continued the attack to "let the anger out".[5]
Accused
editThe suspect was identified as 32-year-old Yoni Barrios, a Guatemalan citizen who U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement believe entered the United States without passing through a border checkpoint.[7] KSNV obtained records of a 2019 domestic violence charge filed against him in California, which was not prosecuted due to a COVID-19 pandemic-related backlog in the court system and the victim's non-appearance in court.[8] His public defender raised mental health concerns at an arraignment hearing the week following his arrest, and in December, two court psychiatrists found Barrios unable to understand court proceedings or the charges against him.[6][1][9] He was ordered to indefinite care at a state psychiatric facility until found competent to face charges.
References
edit- ^ a b "Man held in Las Vegas Strip stabbings found unfit for trial". Associated Press. December 2, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ Shapiro, Emily; Deliso, Meredith (October 7, 2022). "2 dead, 6 injured in stabbings outside Las Vegas casino: Police". ABC News. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
- ^ Patel, Vimal (October 6, 2022). "Stabbing Spree on Las Vegas Strip Leaves 2 Dead and 6 Others Injured". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
- ^ Planas, Antonio; Blankstein, Andrew (October 7, 2022). "2 people dead, 6 wounded in stabbing attacks on Las Vegas Strip, police say". NBC News. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ a b Lin, Summer (October 7, 2022). "Las Vegas suspect asked showgirls to take a photo with a knife before deadly stabbings, officials say". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
- ^ a b Ritter, Ken (October 11, 2022). "Mental health raised by defense in Vegas Strip stabbing case". Associated Press. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ Clarkson, Brett (October 12, 2022). "Strip stabbing suspect believed to have entered US illegally, ICE says". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ Forrest, Brett (October 12, 2022). "New info on Strip stabbing suspect reveals criminal history in California". KSNV. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ Newberg, Katelyn (December 2, 2022). "Las Vegas Strip stabbing spree suspect headed to psychiatric hospital". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 29, 2023.