Eureka Casino is sued over shooting death

Jen Lawson

Monday, April 11, 2005 | 9:22 a.m.

The family of a 51-year-old man who was shot and killed after tackling a gunman at the Eureka Casino a year ago is suing the business, alleging that it is partially to blame for the death because security was inadequate.

Lester Staniowski's wife of 24 years, Sharon, and their sons Matt, 21, and Greg, 19, filed the wrongful death suit last week.

Lester Staniowski, a cabdriver for Henderson Taxi and a regular at the casino, was killed April 1, 2004, by Rolando Lappin-Mendez, who pulled out a gun and fired it at bartender Kensen Lee after complaining that a video poker machine ate his jackpot.

Lee managed to dive under the bar but suffered a gunshot burn on his face.

Staniowski tackled Lappin-Mendez, and the gunman shot him. Lappin-Mendez was fatally shot by police in the parking lot moments after he pointed a gun at them.

The lawsuit says that before the shooting patrons and employees had complained to Eureka management that security was paltry at the casino, located at 595 E. Sahara Ave. between Maryland Parkway and Paradise Road, "a known high-crime area," according to the lawsuit.

Casino management failed to maintain security guards on the property, and the ones it did have weren't supervised or trained in restraining and apprehending criminal suspects, the lawsuit says.

It also says management failed to warn its patrons that they were in danger of a criminal attack.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.

Ted Lee, owner of the Eureka, could not be reached for comment, and a representative refused to comment. The Staniowski's attorney, Kenneth Sheehan, did not return calls.

The Eureka had been robbed six times since 2003, more than any other Las Vegas casino, according to Metro Police.

The most recent attack was a month ago, when two armed men robbed a casino cage and made off with several thousand dollars.

In an interview last month with the Sun about the security at the casino, Lee said the robbery problem had gotten worse in the past five years. As a result he had installed bulletproof glass at each cage and put up steel fences around the parking lot.