6 shot, 3 killed ID’d; suspect dies at hospital after shooting involving police at Reno GSR
What we know so far.
RENO, Nev. — Three people are dead and three others wounded by gunfire after a man opened fire with a handgun outside the Grand Sierra Resort Casino in Reno Monday morning, police said. A police officer was also wounded by glass fragments.
The suspected gunman, who had multiple magazines, was shot by responding police and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, where he died Thursday morning.
Police credited a fast response and having a fire station across the street with helping to save lives and prevent the man from entering the casino.
No motive has been determined so far. Police described the attack as a rampage with no reason to believe that the attacker knew his victims.
Reno Police Chief Kathryn Nance said she offered her "deepest condolences" to the victims, their families and the community.
“Tragedies are like this are horrific for any community to endure,” she said.
Nance added that "violence is not acceptable, especially in our public spaces."
The Reno Police Department said a call initially came at 7:25 a.m. for a report of an active shooter. Police arrived on the scene within two and a half minutes.
Sparks Police Chief Chris Crawforth said the suspect was seen walking in the parking lot of the casino to the valet area.
He then produced a handgun and pointed it, but the firearm malfunctioned. The gunman was able to address the issue and then fired multiple times into a group, Crawforth said.
One person died of a gunshot injury at the scene. Four others were taken to the hospital, where one of the victims died and two were in critical condition. One of those who was shot has since been released.
The gunman then fled back to the parking lot and traded gunfire with a casino security guard, Crawforth said.
The gunman then fired on a person who was driving through the parking lot, killing them.
The gunman went on to fire at Reno police, hitting a patrol vehicle.
The suspected shooter was eventually taken into custody after multiple officers discharged their firearms.
Reno police said the Sparks Police Department is the lead agency for both the investigation into the officers who fired their guns and the active shooter investigation.
“My heart breaks for the victims, their families, and our entire community. Reno is strong — but we are not immune to the epidemic of gun violence gripping this nation," Reno City Council Member Devon Reese said in a Facebook post.
A statement from the Grand Sierra Resort below reads:
We are heartbroken by the senseless violence that occurred in our parking area earlier today. Our thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by this tragic incident.
We are incredibly grateful for the swift and courageous response by our armed security team, whose immediate actions helped prevent further harm. We also want to thank the Reno Police Department for their rapid assistance and coordination, which was instrumental in quickly eliminating the threat and protecting lives.
The Sparks Police Department is now leading the investigation. We are cooperating fully and encourage all media inquiries regarding the investigation to be directed to them.
Grand Sierra Resort remains fully operational, and we are actively working to support guests and team members who may have been impacted. There is no ongoing threat to the public.
The Grand Sierra claims to have the biggest casino floor in northern Nevada and sits just a few blocks from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. It's also one of the tallest buildings in the city, with nearly 2,000 hotel rooms.
The casino remained open Monday afternoon.
3 victims, gunman identified
According to police, the victims are Justin Aguila; Andrew Canepa; and 66-year-old Angel Martinez.
Police say Aguila and Canepa were in town from Southern California for a bachelor party and were reportedly shot from behind by 26-year-old Dakota Hawver, of Reno, while waiting for a ride to the airport.
Martinez was driving away from the building when he was shot by Hawver.
The two other people Hawver is accused of shooting have not been identified but are expected to survive.
Sparks police say Hawver is still in critical condition, and he fired around 80 rounds from a 9mm handgun. Additionally, the gun was legally purchased two years ago and Hawver has no criminal or mental health history.
There is still no known connection between Hawver and any of his victims, nor a motive.
Authorities did say on Tuesday that the gun used in the shooting was purchased legally and ammunition, purchased recently was also bought legally.