Knifing suspect said to be angry over wait

Jen Lawson

Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002 | 10:53 a.m.

The man who allegedly stabbed three people at the Clark County Social Services center in Henderson on Tuesday apparently was furious because he had waited more than an hour to see his caseworker, only to be told at 11:30 a.m. that he would have to try again the next day, according to police documents.

Michael Tracy McLaughlin also had been in the office, at 67 East Lake Mead Drive, Monday. He was seeking financial help and had been told he qualified for medical aid but not rent assistance, one of his stabbing victims, Susan Rhodes, the 55-year-old office supervisor, told police.

McLaughlin returned Wednesday -- allegedly with three knives -- to try to talk to his caseworker about getting help paying his rent. When the announcement was made that everyone still waiting in the reception area could not be seen Tuesday, McLaughlin, 38, jumped out of his chair.

"You people think you can get away with anything!" he shouted, then attacked 56-year-old Kathryn Atkinson, an administrative assistant at the office, by punching her and slashing at her with a knife, according to court records.

Atkinson told police McLaughlin held the knife to her throat, and she thought he was going to kill her.

Security guard Steven Glenn had just started his lunch break during his first day on the job at the social services center when he heard screaming.

Glenn, 32, ran out to the reception area where he said he saw McLaughlin standing over and beating Atkinson, according to court records. Glenn told police he pushed McLaughlin off her and saw a bloody knife in McLaughlin's hand.

Rhodes heard the commotion and yelled for someone to call 911. She told police she thinks McLaughlin came after her because he heard her trying to get help. Police said Glenn grabbed a chair and hit McLaughlin with it in an attempt to get him off Rhodes. Others helped pull McLaughlin away, and they held him until Henderson Police arrived and arrested him.

During the melee, McLaughlin also hit Edward Johanns, 55, in the head with a chair.

The officers who responded to the 911 call found "blood on the floor everywhere" and two knives on the floor near the reception area. They said they recognized McLaughlin from prior arrests.

Atkinson, Rhodes and Glenn all suffered knife wounds, and were taken to University Medical Center's trauma unit. McLaughlin had injuries to his hands, apparently from the knives, and was treated at St. Rose Dominican Hospital, police said.

Police took McLaughlin to Henderson Police headquarters for a taped interview. He told officers he had nothing to say, according to the court records.

McLaughlin remained at the Henderson Detention Center Thursday in lieu of $1 million bond. He is charged with three counts each of attempted murder and is also charged with battery with a deadly weapon and one count of burglary. He is scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 19.

Glenn and Rhodes remain in good condition today at the University Medical Center. Atkinson was released from that hospital Wednesday, officials said.

McLaughlin has a lengthy arrest record, dating back at least to 1984, Officer Shane Lewis said. The arrests were made for crimes including possession of drugs, possession of a weapon, burglary, car theft, driving under the influence and resisting arrest, but most of the offenses were either dropped or reduced to lesser offenses, according to court records. He was sentenced in 1999 to two to five years in prison for possession of a stolen vehicle, but records don't show how long he actually served.