Police find man dead after trying to negotiate at MGM Grand hotel
A man was found dead in an MGM Grand hotel room after police tried to negotiate with him for nearly six hours Wednesday morning.
Police received a call about 2:40 a.m. saying a man who was possibly armed and suicidal was in a room on the hotel’s 24th floor.
Negotiators cleared guests out of several nearby rooms and tried to talk to the man, Metro Officer Larry Hadfield said. Police were not able establish contact with the man, so they went into the room about 8:30 a.m.
Once inside, they found him dead from an apparent gunshot wound, Hadfield said.
It’s unclear when the man may have shot himself.
Hotel guest Amy Rupp, in town for the National Finals Rodeo, said police woke her up and asked her to leave her room about 4:30 a.m. The MGM moved her up two floors, and she came back to the 24th for a smoke break and to see what was going on.
After a quick look around near the elevators — where Metro SWAT officers could be seen pacing the floor — she went back to her new room.
The Clark County coroner’s office will identify the man after his family has been notified.
Reporter Kimberly De La Cruz contributed to this report.
Contact Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Find her on Twitter: @ColtonLochhead.
