Emergency responders attend to victims in Thursday’s stabbing in front of Wynn Las Vegas. Two people were killed and six wounded in the attack, and Metro Police took suspect Yoni Barrios into custody shortly afterward.
Published Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 | 12:14 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 | 12:05 a.m.
Yoni Barrios
A Metro Police vehicle responds after a stabbing along the Las Vegas Strip left two people dead and six wounded on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, authorities said. In a report released by Metro on Thursday, the department averaged 16 officer-involved shootings, eight of those resulting in a fatality, over a five-year period.
A man armed with a large kitchen knife fatally stabbed two people and wounded six others today in an unprovoked attack along the Las Vegas Strip, according to Metro Police.
A suspect, identified late Thursday as 32-year-old Yoni Barrios, was quickly taken into custody, and “everything appears safe as of now,” Metro Capt. Dori Koren said.
Barrios was booked into Clark County Detention Center on two counts of open murder with a deadly weapon and six counts of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, according to a Metro Police release late.
"All evidence indicates Barrios acted alone and there are no outstanding suspects at this time," said Deputy Chief James LaRochelle.
One of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Of the surviving victims, three were in critical condition and the others were stable, police said.
The Clark County coroner's office identified the two victims who died as Las Vegas residents Brent Allan Hallett, 47, and Maris Mareen Digiovanni, 30.
University Medical Center said it received five victims and that one had died.
Police said the suspect's motive was unknown.
“This is clearly a very tragic and hard to understand — hard to comprehend — murder investigation that deeply impacts our community," LaRochelle said during a news briefing at Metro headquarters.
The incident happened about 11:40 a.m. in the 3100 block of Las Vegas Boulevard South, near Sands Avenue, police said.
The attacker stabbed the first victim without provocation and then continued walking down the sidewalk stabbing other people, police said. The victims included local residents and tourists, police said.
Officers, who responded to 911 calls within minutes, took the suspect into custody and recovered the knife, police said.
Witnesses told Las Vegas TV stations some of the victims appeared to be showgirls who take pictures with tourists on the Strip.
Pierre Fandrich told KTNV that he did not see the stabbing suspect as he was walking along the Strip. But he said he thought he heard “three or four showgirls laughing,” although it turned out to be screaming.
Fandrich said he saw “a lot of blood” as one woman ran across a bridge, one was on the ground and another had a stab wound on her back as she tried to help the fallen woman.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority said the tourist destination has "always placed the highest priority on the safety of our residents and visitors. At this time, all indications are that this was an isolated incident perpetrated by one individual, who has been apprehended."
Gov. Steve Sisolak issued a statement saying, "Our hearts are with all those affected by this tragedy. At the state level, we will continue to work with partners in law enforcement to make resources available on the ground and ensure the Las Vegas Strip remains a safe and welcoming place for all to visit."
A message posted on Clark County's official Twitter account said, "Our thoughts are with the victims of this senseless attack on the Strip today" and expressed thanks for the quick response by Metro Police, the Clark County Fire Department and other first responders.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
