The suspect alleged that he opened fire in a reindeer, Nevada, Casino on Monday was identified as a local man without connections known to his victims, police said Tuesday.
The Sparks Police identified the dead as the residents of southern California Andrew Canepa and Justin Aguila, both 33 years old, and the northwest resident of Nevada, Angel Martínez, 66.
Aguila and Canepa were in sparks for a degree, police said in a statement. Both were shot behind in Grand Sierra Resort while waiting in the Valet area to give a trip to Reno-Tahoe International Airport, said the police department.
Jeff Gorell, a Ventura County Supervisor, California, and former deputy mayor of Los Angeles, said on Facebook that Canepa was co-owner of Side Street Café in the Newbury Park community, about 40 miles to the west-norbest of the center of Los Angeles.
Gorell described Canepa as the father of a young son and a “kind soul.”
“We will miss seeing its warm presence in the restaurant and this loss is deeply saddened,” he said.
Martínez was ambushed in the parking lot as he moved away from Casino, said Sparks Police. The gunman hid behind a vehicle before he went out to open fire, he said.
Three other people were injured in the shooting, a treated in a hospital and released and two remaining under medical care on Tuesday, but it was expected to recover, the police department said.
The suspect was identified as Dakota Hawver, 26, of adjacent reindeer, without a criminal or mental history of note, police said.
“The researchers have not found any connection with the Grand Sierra resort or any of the victims, and their reason is unknown,” said the police.
The attack, reported just before Monday 7:30 am, was developed as a foot gunman and armed with a 9 mm semi -automatic pistol bought legally, opened fire against people gathered near the Valet post, police said.
The weapon apparently stuck, but only briefly, Sparks police chief Chris Crawforth, said Monday.
When the gunman left, he shot a security guard, who returned the fire, police said. When the officers arrived, he exchanged shots with them and was seriously injured, police said.
The suspect remained hospitalized on Tuesday, said Sparks Police.
The Police Department has launched an investigation into the attack and any possible reason.
Grand Sierra Resort, a high -rise hotel and casino that often reserves the best acts of music and comedy, did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
Todd Miyazawa contributed.
