Shooter opens fire outside Reno casino, killing 3 and injuring several
others
[July 29, 2025]
By ANDY BARRON and RIO YAMAT
RENO, Nev. (AP) — A gunman opened fire Monday outside the largest casino
in Reno, Nevada, killing three people and wounding three others before
police shot the suspect and arrested him, officials said.
The suspect had no known connection to the victims, and it was unclear
if he was a guest or an employee at the Grand Sierra Resort, one of
Reno’s most prominent venues that has hosted concerts, sporting events
and a campaign rally by President Donald Trump before the 2024 election.
Near the California border and just northeast of Lake Tahoe, the town is
a popular summer tourist destination.
Police were still trying to determine a motive for the shooting.
Two victims were in critical condition, while one was treated and
released from the hospital, said Chris Crawforth, the police chief of
the neighboring town of Sparks whose department is leading the
investigation.
The shooting occurred around 7:30 a.m. when the gunman walked up to the
casino-hotel’s valet parking area, pulled out a handgun and pointed it
at a group of people, police said. His gun initially malfunctioned, but
he quickly was able to get it to shoot multiple times before fleeing on
foot through the parking lot where he encountered an armed casino
security guard. Crawforth said the gunman opened fire on the guard, who
returned fire as the shooter fled again.
The suspect later shot at someone driving by in the parking lot,
striking and killing the driver before officers arrived on the scene
within three minutes of the first shots being fired.
“There was incredible, swift action that took place,” Reno Mayor Hillary
Schieve said, adding that it stopped the suspect from going into the
casino-hotel to continue the rampage.
The shooter had multiple firearm magazines, according to Crawforth.
The suspect fired at Reno police officers and hit a patrol vehicle.
Multiple officers returned fire, striking the suspect, Crawforth said.
The suspect, whose name was not released, remains in critical condition.
Michael Sisco, 60, said he was in his room and about to head to the
valet for his car when he heard popping sounds. He looked out his window
and saw people screaming and running from the valet area.
He said he saw a man holding his stomach and staggering before falling
motionless next to a car. Sisco moved away from the window as the
gunshots continued.
“A half hour after the incident I started shaking because I realized I
could’ve been there,” he said. “That’s exactly where I was going.”
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Police respond to a shooting outside the Grand Sierra Resort in
Reno, Nev., Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Barron)
Christina Martinez heard the shots just as she was stepping onto an
elevator in the lobby, and they were still going off when she
stepped out onto the 18th floor.
Someone in a neighboring room told her there was a gunman right
outside the main entrance, near where Martinez said she was getting
coffee just moments before.
“I feel very blessed, but that’s kind of why I had a panic attack,”
she said. “I was like, ‘Oh my God. I was just there.’”
Hours after the shooting, the entrance inside the casino leading to
the valet area was roped off to guests and privacy screens were
placed in front of the glass doors to block the view outside.
In addition to those who were killed and the people taken to the
hospital, three more were treated for minor injuries at the casino,
according to Devon Reese, chair of the Board of Health in northern
Nevada. One person was grazed by a bullet on their pinky finger, one
was treated for severe anxiety and one was injured while running, he
said.
One officer also was injured from what was likely “glass fragments,”
Reno Police Chief Kathryn Nance said.
“Tragedies like this are horrific for any community to endure,” she
said.
More than a year ago, two men were charged with fatally shooting
another man who was staying at the resort in January 2024.
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.
“We are heartbroken by the senseless violence that occurred in our
parking area earlier today,” the casino said in a statement. “Our
thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by this tragic
incident.”
___
Yamat reported from Las Vegas. Associated Press reporters Beatrice
Dupuy in New York; Safiyah Riddle in Montgomery, Alabama; John
Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; Hallie Golden in Seattle; and Julie Watson
in San Diego contributed.
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