The suspect in a dramatic hostage situation at the famous Caesars Palace hotel in Las Vegas has been identified as wanted fugitive Matthew Mannix.
An incident report revealed that Mr Mannix had an outstanding warrant in his home state of Colorado before he allegedly took a woman hostage in a hotel room on Tuesday morning.
The report states that both Mr Mannix and the woman, who was not named but was described as having been in an on-and-off relationship with her alleged captor, were suspected of having experienced “drug-induced schizophrenia”.
A SWAT standoff was launched after Mr Mannix allegedly forced the woman into his room before threatening to “shoot someone” if they entered. Video from outside the sprawling resort showed items being thrown out of a broken window.
Mr Mannix was taken into custody about five hours later.
The incident briefly triggered worries there could be another mass shooting on the Strip, after a gunman killed 58 people from his Vegas hotel room in 2017.
Suspect threatened to ‘shoot someone’ if police tried to breach the room.
Furniture thrown out of Ceasars palace window as police respond to hostage situation
When security approached the room, they reportedly found a man believed to be Mr Mannix barricaded inside and threatening to “shoot someone” if police tried to breach the room. The threats continued and at some point, a female also yelled that the man “had a knife.”
Las Vegas Police, a SWAT team and medical responders arrived at the scene to handle the hostage situation. Mr Mannix reportedly refused to let the 26-year-old woman out of the room and continued to open and close the door while allegedly threatening to “pull the trigger.”
The woman eventually attempted to reach the door, but Mr Mannix then allegedly dragged her to the bed “as he body slammed her … and began to have intercourse with her.”
Cost of property damage estimated to be more than $50,000, police said
Suspect Matthew Mannix is also accused of throwing large objects out of the window of his hotel room, sending guests on the pool deck running for cover. Bystander video showed broken glass and debris littering various decks at the Caesars as guests ran for safety.
An investigator noted that the pool deck was left littered with furniture and glass and the property damage inside the room was “some of the most severe I have seen in my 18 years as a detective.” The damage caused is estimated to be upwards of $50,000.
