SoCal Victims in Reno Mass Shooting
Southern california Residents Among Victims in Reno Casino Mass Shooting
Reno, NV - A bachelor party outing for a group of friends from Southern California turned into a horrific tragedy Monday morning when a gunman opened fire at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, killing three people and wounding three others.Among the deceased are residents of Thousand Oaks, California, according to friends of the victims.
The violence erupted shortly after 7:30 a.m. in the valet area of the Grand Sierra Resort. Police report that the unidentified gunman approached a group visiting from Thousand Oaks. Initial attempts by the gunman to fire his weapon reportedly failed due to a malfunction. As the group began to scatter, the gunman managed to fix his weapon and opened fire.
Andrew Canepa, a father of a young son and an owner and server at the SideStreet Cafe in Newbury Park, was among those fatally shot. Friends,who requested anonymity until official identification,confirmed his death at the hospital.
another victim, Dylan McLean, sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder and was driven to the hospital by a Good Samaritan. During the drive,McLean reportedly contacted his freind Matt Harper Sitler,who had also been shot multiple times and was hiding from the assailant. Sitler was hospitalized in critical condition and placed on life support. By Monday evening, he was reportedly able to breathe on his own, with his first words after the attack being a query about Andrew’s well-being.A third friend in the group was killed instantly at the scene but has not yet been officially identified.The victims were all graduates of Thousand Oaks high School’s Class of 2010, and several had participated in high school sports together. The group had reportedly stayed at an Airbnb near lake tahoe before spending Sunday night at the casino. They had checked out of their hotel early Monday and were waiting for rides to the airport at the valet station when the shooting began.
During the ensuing chaos, a casino security guard intervened and fired at the gunman, prompting him to flee. As the shooter fled the scene,he encountered a vehicle in the parking lot and opened fire,killing the driver. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement arrived and engaged the suspect in a shootout, resulting in the gunman being critically wounded.
“Tragedies like this are horrific for any community to endure, not just for the victims, the first responders and the people who were there, but for everyone involved in our community,” stated Reno Police Chief Kathryn Nance. “Violence is not acceptable, especially in our public spaces.”
Sparks Police Chief Chris Crawforth confirmed at a press conference that there were no known connections between the gunman and his victims,and no motive has been established.The suspect’s identity has not yet been released.
The Grand Sierra Resort,a prominent hotel and casino complex in Reno,features nearly 2,000 rooms,casinos,spas,and restaurants. The establishment was open and operating on Tuesday.
Staff writer Summer Lin contributed to this report.