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CNN Live Saturday
Motorcycle Gang Shootout Has Gamblers Edgy
Aired April 27, 2002 - 22:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: And the resort town of Laughlin, Nevada is on edge tonight following a deadly shootout between rival motorcycle gangs at a popular casino there. And CNN'S Thelma Gutierrez is in Laughlin. She's joining us now to tell us exactly what happened.
Thelma?
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, Harrah's Casino is still closed out here in Laughlin. Many of the guests at the hotel just packed it up and they've gone to other hotels. Police say that they have arrested a large number of people in connection to this morning's shootings, but they would not exactly say how many were arrested. They did say, however, that they talked to more than 200 people in connection with those shootings.
I want Gay to pan over now onto to Casino Drive, right outside of Harrah's, the main street here. For the most part, the 20th annual river run for motorcycle enthusiasts is going strong. None of the events have been canceled for the tens of thousands of cyclists out here, despite one of the most violent nights in the town's history.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUTIERREZ (voice-over): It's being called the worst shooting ever inside a Nevada casino.
VINCE CANNITO, LT., LAS VEGAS POLICE DEPT.: Shots are being fired inside the hotel. People are being stabbed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I ran for safety, just like everybody else.
GUTIERREZ: Laughlin, Nevada, Harrah's Hotel and Casino on the river. 2:15 Saturday morning. A fist fight breaks out between two rival gang members, the Mongols and Hell's Angels.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of the Mongols walked into a group of Hell's Angels.
GUTIERREZ: Moments later, rival gang members draw their weapons and begin firing at each other. A gun battle erupts right on the casino floor, as terrified guests scramble for cover.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There were bodies around, lots of bodies. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was really upsetting because we could actually see a dead body from our room on the street. I mean, they had a sheet over it, but it was obvious what it was. And just feel really sad about it, because it's lot of great people here, trying to have a good time.
GUTIERREZ: Three men die on the spot. Four others are airlifted to the hospital in Las Vegas. 13 people are wounded, either stabbed or shot.
CANNITO: The first suspect was taken into custody roughly less than two minutes after this incident took place.
GUTIERREZ: This videotape was shot by a guest of the hotel in the aftermath of the gun fight, as suspects are rounded up. You see what appears to be an officer struggling with the suspect. His weapons goes off. Police say it was accidentally discharged. Dozens of people are ordered to lie face down on the ground. Police detain more than 200 people for questioning and try to separate the victims from the suspects.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was utter chaos. People were terrified.
GUTIERREZ: After the shooting, Harrah's Hotel and Casino, one of the largest in Laughlin, is completely locked down. Guests are questioned. Some are free to leave, others like this man, who was not in the hotel at the time, is not allowed back inside.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My cell phone's in my room. I have no access to my vehicle or my room.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're telling us that they don't know when we're going to be able to get back into the hotel. So we're just kind of all hoofing it and hoping for the best.
GUTIERREZ: Police say their concern now is not only trying to figure out what caused the gun fight, and who's involved, but also keeping the peace when so many may be tempted to retaliate.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
In addition to the three men who were killed here at Harrah's, we should mention that the bullet-riddled body of a 29-year old man was a biker, was found off the Quarty (ph) Freeway, which is between here, Laughlin, and Los Angeles in San Bernadino COunty. Police have not said whether or not that murder is connected to the shootings that happened here in Laughlin.
Catherine, back to you.
CALLAWAY: Thelma, there has to be concern, as you said, about possible retaliation from these two rival groups. What's being done there tonight to sort of calm fears there?
GUTIERREZ: Well, police say that they have all their forces in from Las Vegas to make sure they're able to keep the peace. But they say they haven't had any word, they haven't had any overt threat, anything like that. They're just hoping that people will remain calm and that there will be no retaliation and no further violence. But they say they are prepared.
CALLAWAY: All right, a very busy area there in Laughlin. Thelma Gutierrez, thank you very much for being with us, keeping us up to date on the situation.
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