Murder in Las Vegas casino sparks seven hour police siege

from breitbart

Police in the US gambling hub of Las Vegas, Nevada, arrested a suspected murderer after a tense seven-hour siege in a hotel-casino during which he fired at police and paramedics, officers said.

The suspect was taken into custody in the early hours of the morning after holing up in his room in the Harrah's hotel and casino after allegedly shooting another man to death, said Officer Eric Roberson of Las Vegas police.

Police and paramedics were called to the high-rise, city-centre hotel around midnight (0800 GMT) and found a mortally wounded man lying outside one of the rooms.

Police SWAT teams and hostage negotiators rushed to the scene and began trying to talk the suspect out of his room. Guests were evacuated from the top three floors of the hotel but the casino remained open, Roberson said.

"Several hours of negotiations ensued during which time the suspect fired from his room into the hallway where he believed the officers were," Roberson told AFP.

"The stand-off continued for about seven hours until the suspect was taken into custody in his room," he added. "Three floors were evacuated and none of the guests were imperiled at any time."

A murder investigation is underway of the man shot before the siege began, Roberson said, adding that the relationship between the victim and the suspect and the cause of the altercation remained unknown.