Man tells of seizing gunman

A gunman had just finished firing more than a dozen rounds from a balcony at New York-New York when he came face to face with Justin Lampert, a National Guardsman who spent a year in Iraq clearing roadside bombs.

The two men squared off and made eye contact. The gunman was still armed.

Lampert rushed toward the man, later identified as 53-year-old Steven Zegrean, an unemployed house painter distraught because he had lost his job and divorced his wife.

Lampert tackled the gunman and struggled to keep the 9mm handgun away from him. Within seconds, others joined Lampert in subduing the man, ending the shooting spree that left four people wounded.

Lampert, 26, who lives in Columbus, Ga., testified Wednesday in District Court about the July 6, 2007, shooting.

Zegrean is facing 17 counts of attempted murder and other charges in the shooting. His trial, which started Tuesday, is expected to last several days.

Hailed as a hero for taking down the gunman, Lampert was plain-spoken as he testified. He had come to Las Vegas for a bachelor party and had just finished eating a hot dog when he heard gunshots ring out. He saw the shooter, rushed toward him and tackled him.

He told the jury that he struggled with the gunman on the ground because he didn't want him to get hold of the handgun, which was nearby. He joked that if the man had gotten the gun again, "I wouldn't have a very good day."

During the trial, prosecutors showed jurors surveillance footage, which captured the shooter walking back and forth on a second-floor balcony moments before he began firing. The actual shooting, which lasted less than a minute, is not seen in the footage.

The gunfire created a chaotic scene inside New York-New York. The footage, taken from various viewpoints, shows scores of people scattering after shots are fired inside the casino. People are seen running to escalators and fleeing to exits.

One woman, just feet from the gunman, is seen crouching behind a pillar.

Once finished firing, the shooter is seen walking on the second floor before being tackled by a bystander, later identified as Lampert.

After the shooting, a Las Vegas police officer, Michael Roe, took the gunman into custody.

Roe testified that the man told him he wanted to kill himself because he was upset over divorcing his wife and losing his job. Roe said the man told him that he never expected to make it out of the casino alive.

The gunman also asked about the welfare of the patrons inside New York-New York after the shooting, Roe said.

According to a Las Vegas police report, Zegrean, who was dressed in a trench coat despite the excessive July heat, waited for about two hours before opening fire in the casino because he didn't want to harm any children.

Four people were wounded in the shooting, authorities said. Troy Sanchez, who was 13 when he was hit by gunfire, testified Wednesday that he was struck in the ankle by a bullet.

Sanchez, from the San Fernando Valley in Southern California, said he came to Las Vegas in 2007 with his mother to visit his brother, who worked at New York-New York. During the shooting, Sanchez, now 15, fled but was hit by gunfire. He said he then hopped to safety.

His mother, who was not wounded, was on the ground and pretended to be dead during the incident.

Carrie Zeravica, 25, also was hit by gunfire. She testified that a bullet struck her on the side of a knee and went through the leg.

Zeravica, who was a dance instructor in Pennsylvania, said she can no longer teach dance or spend long amounts of time on the leg. She wears an orthopedic brace because the bullet wound makes walking difficult.

Zeravica also suffered psychological effects. She said she was afraid to be alone for months after the shooting and still avoids crowds.

"I hate being in large crowds," she said.

Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.