Chaos broke out late Sunday night near one of Las Vegas’ most famous landmarks when two people were gunned down just steps from the Bellagio Fountains.
The area, usually crowded with visitors and street performers, was quickly shut down as police launched an investigation into the deadly shooting.
Las Vegas Metro Police confirmed the violence took place on the 3600 block of South Las Vegas Boulevard. While the shooting did not occur inside any of the nearby casinos, it happened in a heavily trafficked part of the Strip.
Authorities urged the public to steer clear as crime scene tape surrounded the area.
Officers nearby heard gunfire around 10:40 p.m. and rushed to the scene. When they arrived, they found two people on the ground with gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead shortly after. A suspect was taken into custody not long after the shooting.
LVMPD Undersheriff Andrew Walsh shared during a press briefing that the violence was not random.
“It is believed that the suspect and the victims knew each other and had previously engaged in conflict over social media prior to the shooting,” police stated in press release.
According to Walsh, detectives believe the shooter had a prior issue with at least one of the victims, which had played out over various social media platforms.
As of now, police have not publicly named those involved, and the investigation is still active.
