graphic courtesy of Fox News
The man accused of stabbing 8 people in front of the Wynn Hotel and Casino, 2 fatally, is in the US illegally and has a history of crime in California.
“Yoni Barrios, 32, is a Guatemalan national in the U.S. illegally with a criminal record in California, a source with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said.” Fox News reported.
“Barrios stabbed eight people — a mix of tourists and residents — just after 11:40 a.m. local time on the sidewalk near the Wynn Las Vegas hotel, police said. Two people — Las Vegas residents Brent Allan Hallett, 47, and Maris Mareen DiGiovanni, 30 — died, officials said.” Fox News reported.
It is unclear when Barrios entered the United States.
Barrios will be charged with 2 counts of murder and 6 counts of attempted murder, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said on Friday.
According to witnesses, some of the victims were showgirls who were taking pictures with tourists on the Vegas strip.
Video of an injured showgirl in her costume being wheeled to an ambulance (warning: graphic):
“The suspect reportedly had a kitchen knife and told the showgirls he was a chef that wanted to take a photo with them.” The Daily Mail reported. “When they refused the stabbings started, recounted a woman who said four of the injured showgirls worked for her.”