Man Throws Furniture Out Las Vegas Hotel Window During Standoff With Police
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Update 07/11/23, 6:10 p.m. ET: Las Vegas police confirmed to Newsweek that the male suspect is in custody and the female hostage is safe.
Police officers and a SWAT team were called Tuesday morning to Caesars Palace hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, after a man barricaded himself in a room with a hostage and later tossed a piece of furniture from a window, authorities said.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) received a report about a potential domestic disturbance in the late morning hours at the famed casino, the department confirmed in a statement to Newsweek. Upon arriving at the scene, authorities attempted to make contact with the man in his room, at which point he refused to leave and told police that he was armed.
A SWAT team and crisis negotiators were then called to the hotel to assist. Around 11:30 a.m., Fox 5 Vegas reported that the resort's pool area had been evacuated. At some point, the man threw furniture from his window, which landed near the pool, along with broken glass, prompting the evacuation. Furniture continued to fall during the standoff, with officials estimating that he had thrown every piece available in the room. No injuries have been reported from the pool area.
It was later determined that the man had pulled a woman into his hotel room at around 9:15 a.m. The woman has been contacted by law enforcement officials and was determined to be "OK" as of 12 p.m. No shots have been fired in the room at the moment, leading officials to doubt whether the man is actually armed.
"She is still in the room at this time," LVMPD Bureau Commander Stephen Connell confirmed to Fox 5 at around 11:50 a.m. "The female has been heard from and is still OK."
Earlier in the standoff, witnesses said, the man appeared to be wearing a hat, shirt and shorts while yelling things that could not be discerned. Later in the day, he was reportedly spotted naked from the waist down.
Caesars Entertainment, the company that manages the resort, has confirmed its awareness of the incident and said that it is "cooperating fully" with law enforcement.
"We are aware of the security incident at Caesars Palace," the company's statement read. "Our team is cooperating fully with law enforcement officers on scene who are handling the investigation."
As of Tuesday evening, the standoff between the man and law enforcement remained ongoing. Details about the man's identity have not been disclosed to the public. The hostage is still believed to be unharmed.
