Four dead after US casino shooting - Hells Angels

[Jeff]

Four dead after US casino shooting
14.10PM BST, 27 Apr 2002

Four people have been shot dead and nine others wounded at a Nevada casino, according to US radio reports.

The report from KGMN-FM in Kingman, Arizona, said the shooting happened in Harrah's Casino in Laughlin - around 90 miles south of Las Vegas - during the 20th annual River Run.

The River Run is a a large gathering of motorcycle clubs that brings up to 50,000 people into the gambling resort. The incident is thought to have involved Hell's Angels.

Harrah's director of marketing, Laura De La Cruz, said an altercation between rival motorcycle gang members erupted shortly after 2am local time.

At Western Arizona Regional Medical Center in nearby Bullhead City, Arizona, nine male patients, some with gunshot wounds, some with knife stab wounds, were being treated, hospital spokeswoman Ruth Padilla said.

Three men in a critical condition with gunshot wounds were flown to University Medical Center in Las Vegas, she said.

About 100 people were arrested and bridges over the Colorado River were shut to traffic.

Police dispatchers would only confirm a motorcycle gang was involved.

[Jeff]

(CBS) Four people were shot dead and at least nine others wounded inside Harrah's Casino early Saturday, authorities told CBS News.

Police dispatchers would only confirm a motorcycle gang was involved.

In addition, about 100 people had been handcuffed or spreadeagled on the floor by authorities inside the casino following the shooting, CBS News was told by Larry Tunforss, a spokesman for the Bullhead City, Arizona, Fire Department, which was called in to help respond to the shootings.

At least two of the wounded are in critical condition, Ruth Padilla, a spokesperson for the Western Arizona Regional Medical Center in Bullshead City said to CBS News. There were some stabbing victims at the medical center as well, she said.

KGMN-FM in Kingman, Ariz., reported that the shootings occurred on the first floor of Harrah's during the 20th annual River Run, a large gathering of motorcycle clubs that brings up to 80,000 people into the gambling resort.

Bridges over the Colorado River have been shut to traffic, the radio station reported.

The Laughlin Free Press newspaper reported on its Web site that eight people also were wounded in a gunfight between Hell's Angels and Mongoose
motorcycle gang members in the pit area of the casino. The newspaper reported that Laughlin has been shut down to all vehicle traffic into and out of town.

Tunforss described the city as being in total lockdown. "Nobody can drive in or out of the city," he said.

Harrah's director of marketing, Laura De La Cruz, said an altercation between rival motorcycle gang members erupted shortly after 2 a.m.

Laughlin is located 80 miles southeast of Las Vegas, near the
Arizona border.


© MMII, CBS Worldwide Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press and Reuters Limited contributed to this report.

[HotPants]

UPDATE

Hogs and Casinos apparently do not mix.

Nevada Town Remains Locked Down
100 Taken Into Custody

POSTED: 10:03 a.m. EDT April 27, 2002
UPDATED: 5:29 p.m. EDT April 27, 2002

LAUGHLIN, Nev. -- Authorities in Nevada now say three people died and at least nine others suffered gun or knife wounds early Saturday, during a fight between rival motorcycle gangs at a casino in Laughlin.

The shootings broke out at Harrah's Casino about 2 a.m. The casino was hosting the 20th annual River Run, a large gathering of motorcycle clubs which brought about 80,000 people to the Laughlin area. There's been an arrest and a gun has been recovered.

About 100 people were taken into custody and bridges over the Colorado River into Arizona were temporarily closed to traffic.

Las Vegas metropolitan police sent 300 officers to assist the Laughlin authorities.

Police began allowing people held inside the casino to leave about six hours after the shootings occurred. The gambling city of 8,000 people had been totally locked down for several hours.