The suspect in a mass stabbing outside a Las Vegas casino and two people left dead from the horrific attack have been identified.
Yoni Barrios, 32, who allegedly used a large kitchen knife to slash eight people after being refused a picture with showgirls outside the Wynn casino, was booked into Clark County Detention Center late Thursday.
His booking photo shows him with a blank stare and unkempt hair. Barrios has been charged with two counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder, according to police.
The Clark County coroner’s office on Thursday night also identified the two people fatally stabbed as Las Vegas residents as Maris Mareen Digiovanni, 30, and Brent Allan Hallett, 47.
Barrios is accused of attacking entertainers who were greeting tourists outside the Wynn around 11.45am on Thursday. Barrios was taken into custody ‘very quickly’ after the rampage in broad daylight, said police Capt Dori Koren.
Maris’ brother, Gage DiGiovanni, wrote on Facebook that ‘it is with great sadness that we say goodbye and see you later to my amazing little sister’. Maris was a teacher at 8th Bridge School in Las Vegas and had taught preschool and elementary grades in Bahrain and Hong Kong.
‘Please pray for our family and her husband,’ wrote DiGiovanni. ‘We appreciate the space to grieve in the coming days and know she touched your lives as she did ours.’
Maris’ friend Emma Leeson wrote that she was ‘absolutely shocked, devastated and heart broken’ over her death.
‘The most kindest beautiful soul taken way to young, this is so unfair and should never of happened – I can’t wrap my head around any of it,’ Leeson said.
Family of Hallett have not yet spoken out.
The identities of the six wounded people have not yet been released. Three are in critical condition and the other three are in stable condition, according to authorities.
Police are still investigating the motive of the attack.
‘This was an isolated incident,’ stated Deputy Chief James LaRochelle. ‘All evidence indicates Barrios acted alone and there are no outstanding suspects at this time.’
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