At least one dead as gunman opens fire near Las Vegas’s famous Bellagio Fountains – police warn to avoid the area
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- This story is developing, more to follow.
At least one person has died after a gunman opened fire near Las Vegas’s famous Bellagio Fountains, local media reported.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said their officers are responding to a shooting on the 3600 block of S. Las Vegas Boulevard, and were quick to inform the public that it did not take place inside a casino.
They have also asked people to avoid the area. Local media reported that cops have already blocked pedestrian and vehicle access to the area.
Local media has reported that one person has so far died. It is not currently known how many other people, if any, were injured or killed in the attack.
In what appears to be video footage of the attack, a man appears to get into a small verbal altercation with a woman in front of the Balloon Sign outside the Paris Las Vegas, which sits across the road from the Bellagio fountains.
After just a few seconds, he pulls out a gun and fires at least seven shots.
The woman screams: ‘Are you f***ing kidding me?!’
Video footage posted to social media also showed the Las Vegas Strip engulfed by police cars responding to the incident.
A gunman has opened fire near Las Vegas ‘s famous Bellagio Fountains, local media has reported (File image)
Dozens of people in the area were seen running away from the scene of the incident in terror.
The department’s homicide unit is set to provide an update at 1.45am local time on Monday (9.45 UK time).
The tragedy harks back to the 2017 mass shooting on Las Vegas’s Strip when 64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire on the crowd attending the Route 91 Harvest music festival from his 32nd-floor suites in the Mandalay Bay hotel.
The shooter fired over 1,000 rounds and killed 60, additionally wounding at least 413 others.
The stampede caused by panicked people rushing out of the area brought the total number of injured people to nearly 870.
Just one hour after the shooting, Paddock was found dead in room after taking his own life.
To this day, the motive for the attack has not been officially determined.
More to follow.
