2 dead, 6 injured in serial stabbings with kitchen knife on Las Vegas Strip; man arrested
Witnesses told Las Vegas TV stations that the attacker struck in several locations, with some of the victims appearing to be showgirls or street performers who take pictures with tourists on the Strip.
At least two people were killed, and six others left wounded after a man armed with a large kitchen knife went on a stabbing spree along the Las Vegas Strip in the US before being arrested Thursday, police said. Of the injured, three were taken to the hospital in critical condition whereas the other three were stable, police added.
The suspect has been described as one believed to be in his early 30s, and who is not from the area. Police said they began receiving calls on 911 around 11.40am Thursday on the north end of the Strip.
According to a report by The Associated Press, the suspect told a woman that he was a chef who wanted to click pictures with some of the showgirls with his knife. However, he commenced to stab people when the group dismissed the man's offer, the woman added.
Police, who are yet to confirm the man's identity, said he would be booked into the Clark County Detention Centre.
Witnesses told Las Vegas TV stations that the man struck in several locations, with some of the victims appearing to be showgirls or street performers who take pictures with tourists on the Strip.
Police said they started getting calls on 911 around 11.40am Thursday on the north end of the Strip. They are, however, yet to release any information on the suspect or a possible motive for the stabbing spree.
According to a report by The Associated Press, the suspect told a woman that he was a chef who wanted to click pictures with some of the showgirls with his knife. However, he commenced to stab people when the group dismissed the man's offer, the woman added.
A witness, Pierre Fandrich, told KTNV that did not see the stabbing suspect but added he thought he heard “three or four showgirls laughing” which actually turned out to be screaming.
He further told KTNV that he saw a “lot of blood” as one woman ran across a bridge, one lay on the ground, and another had a stab wound on her back as she attempted to help the fallen female.
In a statement on Twitter, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak said that the state would make resources available to boost security on the Strip.
"Our hearts are with all those affected by this tragedy," he said.
The scene of the crime is close to major venues, including the resorts - The Venetian and the Wynn Las Vegas. Live pictures from the area showed police activity on the Strip, with many regions cordoned off.
Police said an investigation into the incident is currently underway.
The last time Vegas was in the news was for the shooting incident in 2017 when a sniper opened fire from a nearby high-rise hotel on a crowd attending an outdoor music festival, thereby killing as many as 60 people and wounding several others.
(With inputs from AFP, Reuters)