Police tape blocks the lobby at Green Valley Resort, where Henderson Police say the property’s security shot a suspect on Jan. 1, 2019.
Published Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019 | 5:31 p.m.
Updated Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019 | 7:55 p.m.
Security guards at a Henderson resort gunned down an armed suspect in the hotel’s lobby Tuesday afternoon, according to Henderson Police.
The unnamed suspect, who pulled out a handgun when he was confronted by the guards, died at the scene, Lt. Kirk Moore said.
Details on what he was doing at Green Valley Resort were not immediately available, Moore said. Information provided this evening is considered preliminary, police warned.
Henderson Police received reports of shots fired about 3:40 p.m. and responded with considerable resources due to the crowded nature of the resort.
Several guests contacted security regarding an armed man walking around the property, Moore said. Three guards confronted him in the lobby of the east hotel tower.
After some sort of verbal exchange, the man “produced” a handgun to prompt the two armed guards to open fire, they told investigators. It wasn’t clear how many rounds they fired, nor was it known if the suspect exchanged gunfire.
The suspect died despite life-saving measures, Moore said. The scene was quickly contained to the lobby and the rest of the property was deemed safe.
Moore didn’t know around how many people witnessed the shooting or if the lobby was crowded. Within two hours after the shooting, the police presence was hardly visible. Officials from the resort didn’t immediately comment.
Casino and restaurant operations appeared normal with guests likely not aware of what transpired. They gambled, drank and ate.
Police tape blocked off an area leading up to the property’s pool and spa from the casino.
A woman identified by television news as Nancy Howard, told several stations that she saw people running in a line. “All of a sudden, I started hearing people yelling, ‘run, run, there’s an active shooter,” she said.
The call to police was of shots fired not of an active shooter, Moore clarified.
The suspect will be identified by the Clark County Coroner’s Office after his family is notified.
"We’re grateful that our security team responded to this situation in a way which ensured the safety of our guests and team members," said Lori Nelson, spokeswoman for Station Casinos, which owns the resort. "We’re very appreciative of Henderson Police Department’s assistance immediately after the incident and, as always, we will work cooperatively with them as part of any ongoing investigation."
