2 dead, 6 injured during stabbing spree on Las Vegas Strip

Two people were killed and six others were injured during an unprovoked stabbing spree in front of the Wynn Casino on the Las Vegas Strip on Thursday.

Police began receiving reports of a “series of stabbings” on the Strip at around 11:40 a.m. at the 3100 block of South Las Vegas Boulevard, Captain Dori Koren of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said during a press conference on Thursday afternoon.

The attack began when the suspect suddenly stabbed two people on the sidewalk. He then fled south stabbing five more people, and then an eight victim in a third location.

After arriving at the scene, police took a suspect into custody and provided medical aid to the eight stabbing victims.

"The weapon we recovered was a large kitchen knife," Koren said.

Two of the eight victims died from their wounds. Three of the surviving victims remain in critical condition, according to Koren.

Authorities have yet to determine a motive behind the attacks. However, they believe the incident was unprovoked.

Police said the victims were both a mix of tourists and locals. Police have not announced the names of the victims.

"The initial altercation or the initial stabbing occurs on the sidewalk area, appears unprovoked — there is no altercation beforehand," LVMPD Deputy Chief James LaRochelle told reporters. 

The suspect was described as a Hispanic male in his early 30s who is not a local resident. His identity has not yet been released.

"We want to extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the victims themselves ... we’re thinking of them and have them their thoughts," LaRochelle said.