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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Metro Police officers stand watch outside the entrance to the Excalibur hotel-casino after a shooting near the registration desk left two dead, Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, in Las Vegas.
Published Friday, Dec. 14, 2012 | 9:47 p.m.
Updated Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012 | 2:29 p.m.
Metro Police officers stand watch outside the entrance to the Excalibur hotel-casino after a shooting near the registration desk left two dead, Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, in Las Vegas.
A man and woman were killed in a possible murder-suicide shooting Friday night near the Excalibur registration desk.
Police received a call about 8:30 p.m. that multiple shots had been fired at the casino and that two people were down.
Officers arriving in the main lobby area found a man dead in what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A woman was found shot and taken to University Medical Center in critical condition, where she was pronounced dead.
The woman, Jessica Kenny, 30, worked at the Excalibur concierge desk as a vendor for travel website VEGAS.com, which is owned by the Greenspun family, publishers of the Las Vegas Sun. Metro Police Homicide Lt. Ray Steiber said she appeared to be the intended target of the shooter, and no one else was injured.
"We were saddened to learn that a member of the VEGAS.com family was the victim of tonight's tragic and senseless killing at the Excalibur," said VEGAS.com Chief Operating Officer Bryan Allison. "Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends."
Witnesses on the casino floor said they noticed many distraught people suddenly running for the exits after apparent gunshots. Amid the panic, many poker players were seen abruptly leaving their tables and their personal effects. Police and casino security had taped off an area near the registration desk where the man’s body lay.
Las Vegas resident Zakeyaha Amacker was gambling at the casino near Dick’s Last Resort when she heard the shots, then chaos.
“People just began running,” Amacker said. “It all happened so quickly.”
Trisha Banks, 14, and her sister Danielle Banks, 17, were at the hotel for a holiday cheerleading party with 80 other cheerleaders when they heard four loud gunshots. They ducked under the tables for safety fearing for their lives until the situation was cleared 10 minutes later.
“It’s scary after what happened this morning (in Newtown, Conn.) and then this,” Trisha Banks said. “How can people do this?”
Police are working to determine the motive of the shooting.
Sources said the shooter might have dated Kenny but that they parted ways in 2009. Within the past few months, sources said, the shooter made sporadic contact with Kenny, but the two were not seeing each other.
Joe Schoenmann contributed to this story.
Yeah, maybe this whole gun culture needs a big mind enema. Enough killing already!
Your right, prior to the invention of the gun, nobody could figure out a way to kill anyone else.
Well, in all fairness guns make it very easy. Too easy. I can outrun someone with a knife, a bat, an axe, a hammer and it's much tougher to throw those weapons. A gun is easy peezy. Aim and shoot from 20 feet..and with automatic weapons, even if you miss you might have 15 more shots to get it right.
The gun culture is going to have to change. It's coming alright. As it should.
If only the clerks at the registration desk and/or the cheerleaders had been armed... he wouldn't have had to kill himself? Bystanders might have been shot too? This is just a ridiculous argument? #wearetheNRA
This is the facts. Most shooting happen with in three feet. Most shooters that don't target shoot will not be accurate out side three feet.Most guns that are used in shooting don't belong to the shooter. Most legal gun owners are never involved in a shooting. Get your facts straight before you run your mouths about guns.
32,367 motor vehicle deaths in 2011, we need to outlaw automobiles also. There are 88 guns for every 100 people in the United states. I'm sure if we passed a law outlawing guns, all guns would be turned in immediately and everyone would be safe. I'm sure that the people who would follow this law would also follow the law against shooting someone with a gun. If someone wanted to kill a bunch of people, what better place to do it but where guns aren't allowed like a school. Everyone is a siting duck and defenseless. The vast amount of news coverage gives mentally unstable people a idea to copycat others for a brief moment of fame.
I believe the problem can be traced back when the government cut funds for the treatment of those mentally challenged. They were left to either be taken care of by relatives or left to fend for themselves and we are seeing the results of such cutbacks. The government should make attempt at aiding those that are ill prepared to take care of themselves, thru no fault of their own. Yet, the Republicans and the wealthy utilize any and every means to minimize their tax obligations and have the audacity to cry about 'entitlements.' Well people, we are seeing the effects of such cut backs in entitlements.
BAN GUNS NOW! So only us criminals have them, then you all will be even easier prey.
Just another reason to to look at the way the 2d amend. is interpreted.
You can have guns alright, I just suggest the kinds of guns that were available when the 2nd amendment was written. Was it muskets?, yes that will be fine. As many as you want.
More sensible restrictions on gun ownership are needed. Maybe we need to "smarten" up some of these gun owners that have children in the home with documented emotional issues. Step 1 is mandatory classes in handling and storage of guns. Step 2 is a background check that involves not only you but the people living where the guns are stored. Once you start instituting some sensible criteria for owning a gun, the marginal "gots to have me a gun" crowd will diminish as they don't want to go thru the hassle. Then they'll try buying on the illegal market and hopefully get caught in a sting operation. Then they can rot in jail.
Guns don't kill people, people kill people. We law abiding folks have a right to own guns. I'm sad that this tragedy occurred. Unfortunately, eliminating guns wouldn't have prevented it. He would have found another way to get it done. My thoughts & prayers are with the victim and her family.
I have no problem with law abiding, responsible and mentally stable individuals owning firearms... none whatsoever... but the these automatic weapons HAVE to go. I understand this wont solve every tragedy, but there's NO reason why any citizen needs weapons that spray bullets. Enough already!!!
Unfortunately, eliminating guns wouldn't have prevented it. He would have found another way to get it done.
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28 people...in about 40 seconds? Really? How? With a baseball bat? Some of you will believe your own insane arguments.
What the hell is the matter with people???? Wow this is ridulous already. REALLY
Guns don't kill people????? Mentally unstable people-with guns-kill people. Bottom line.
And another idiot with the philosophy of, "If I can't have her, then no one can have her. I can't live without her so I am going to take her with me!" Yup hell of an attitude. I have never meant anyone worth dying for, fighting for or going to jail for. There is always someone else out there, all the idiots have to do is look, NOT KILL. Now two families are destroyed and people are hurt and in mourning! What a stupid, stupid philosophy!!!
Mr. Binder,
I don't if you have noticed but it appears that people that kill others with guns don't tend to follow the laws of this land.
Changing the interpretation of the 2nd Amendment probably is not going to get them to follow that either.
The key is making it as difficult as possible for the law breakers to get those guns. You'll never stop it but there are ways of slowing the rate of carnage. We still have a huge problem at gun shows with individuals stating they "probably would not pass a background check" but they are sold a gun anyway.
TomD - A homemade bomb could kill much more than 28 people in less than 40 seconds. You're anti-gun argument is hilarious.
I love when people say we should only allow the kind of guns that were around when the 2 amendment was written. We can do that when we can also take away your right to free speech on the internet, or radio, or TV.
TomD - A homemade bomb could kill much more than 28 people in less than 40 seconds. You're anti-gun argument is hilarious.
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What's hilarious is your contention about a homemade bomb. Now this kid is going to be in his mothers basement putting together this fertilizer bomb?! It's the typical rant from the gun lobby. The method for these nuts is high powered guns. Next time some kid walks into a classroom with a homemade explosive strapped to his body and detonates it...we can discuss alternatives.
"I love when people say we should only allow the kind of guns that were around when the 2 amendment was written. We can do that when we can also take away your right to free speech on the internet, or radio, or TV."
Last time I checked free speech was not lethal !
TomD1228 said:
V"TomD - A homemade bomb could kill much more than 28 people in less than 40 seconds. You're anti-gun argument is hilarious.
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What's hilarious is your contention about a homemade bomb. Now this kid is going to be in his mothers basement putting together this fertilizer bomb?! It's the typical rant from the gun lobby. The method for these nuts is high powered guns. Next time some kid walks into a classroom with a homemade explosive strapped to his body and detonates it...we can discuss alternatives."
I add:
Except for McVeigh these killers all yearn for the intimacy of the killing. The spoils of their 5 minute personal wars. All of the mass killers seem to have this in common.
They all could have done other, simpler things to cause many more deaths.
Gone anywhere for pizza lately?
This comment refers to the shooting in Conn. It amazes me in todays society that a person can go to prison and get a college education or a GED and not worry about someone comming in and shooting everyone and you can't send your kids to school without having to worry about that all the time. Now does that mean we have to make our schools some what of a prison compound?
My condolences and prayers to the victims' families as well as the staff of the Sun. Ms. Kenny must have been an outwardly friendly person to have been hired in such a position. She probably smiled and made people feel welcome to Vegas all the time as she helped visitors with their stay.
To the people posting nonsense:
This happened to be a very good friend of mine and your stupid adolescent comments should be kept to yourself. Would you be on here posting nonsense if it was your loved one in this situation? I think not, you should be ashamed.
Chediski,
She was the coolest, happiest most easy going person. Who was loved by all of her friends and family. I knew her for over 15 years and never saw anything negative come out of her. For this total SOB to do this to her is just wrong on so many levels. She will be missed like you cant even believe.
This woman was marked for death by this man and it just so happens he used a gun. He would have used any number of weapons or even his car to run over her if it was neccesary. The gun just made it easier to take his own life which was also planned. Being mentally unstable doesn't mean someone is stupid and incapable of figuring other ways. It seems like almost all the people who do these acts are resigned to give up their own life and this pretty much makes it impossible to stop them. In a large shooting like in Conn. the six adults could have possibly prevented the number of victums if they had been armed. Teachers and students in schools are easy prey because nobody has any weapons to protect themselves.
In China recently, there have been several cases where people has attacked children in schools with knives. China has strict gun control so they used what they had,same result.
As you can see, murder rate per 100,000 people in the US is actually the lowest its been since 1961 and has fallen the last few years.
http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscr...
The US gun murder rate is 20 times higher per capita than any other developed country. Not 2 times, not 5 times or even 10 times....20 times higher.
Teachers are not Dirty Harry nor RoboCop. Expecting a teacher to race to their desk, unlock their drawer, load their gun and run out into the hallway where 6 other teachers are doing the same...and start blasting away..is someone watching too many Hollywood movies. Teachers are not trained in SWAT tactics nor would they ever be convinced to become teachers/para military sharpshooters. These are utterly dumb solutions akin to arming every passenger on flights to prevent hijackings.
Interresting note to the anti gun people. It appears that some states don't want you to protect yourself even if it poses no threat to anyone else.
"Generally, Americans who have not been convicted of a crime are free to purchase as many bulletproof vests as they please. However, some state legislatures are considering bills that ban the sale of body armor to civilians. Connecticut is the first state to have enacted any restrictions on the sale of bulletproof vests to civilians"
By TomD1228
Dec. 15, 2012
8:37 p.m.
The US gun murder rate is 20 times higher per capita than any other developed country. Not 2 times, not 5 times or even 10 times....20 times higher.
Teachers are not Dirty Harry nor RoboCop. Expecting a teacher to race to their desk, unlock their drawer, load their gun and run out into the hallway where 6 other teachers are doing the same...and start blasting away..is someone watching too many Hollywood movies. Teachers are not trained in SWAT tactics nor would they ever be convinced to become teachers/para military sharpshooters. These are utterly dumb solutions akin to arming every passenger on flights to prevent hijackings.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Now I know what the D stands for in your name.
I've never been trained in Swat tactics or sharpshooting but that doesn't prevent me from being able to at least return fire if the opertunity presents itself. The school principal is a hero for trying to attack the shooter and take his gun away with her bare hands while you in your previous post are a admitted coward when you stated that you would run away.
Comment removed by moderator. Personal Attack
I guess every single person in the casino is a coward as the article states they were running for the exits. My suggestion of getting away from a gunman had nothing to do with the Sandy Hook tragedy and everything to do with what transpired at the Excalibur. The only coward is you by trying to change the context.
Hard to believe this wasn't covered up along with the rest of the crime on the strip..
"The gun culture is going to have to change. It's coming alright. As it should."
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It will, "wacko" pro-gun talking points being used in sane rational conversations about Americas gun culture will help drive the change.
"Come on people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together, time to love one another right now".
Chet Powers (aka Dino Valenti)
Performed by The Youngbloods