‘Are you f***ing kidding me?’ witness screams as seven shots ring out at Vegas tourist hotspot in ‘social media feud’ turned deadly
Two people are dead after a gunman opened fire in front of the world-famous Bellagio fountains on the Las Vegas Strip – with the entire horrifying attack captured on a tourist’s livestream.
The shooting erupted at 10:40pm local time on Sunday night (5:40am GMT Monday) in the heart of Vegas’s entertainment district, sending terrified tourists scrambling for cover as seven shots rang out near one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
Shocking footage shows a man wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses appearing to pull out a gun before opening fire as a witness screams “Are you f***ing kidding me?” in disbelief.
Police have revealed the deadly attack stemmed from a “conflict on social media” and say they have identified the shooter – though the gunman remains at large in a tense manhunt.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA
The terrifying moment was inadvertently captured by a bystander who happened to be livestreaming when the violence erupted.
In the disturbing footage, shared widely on social media before being taken down, a woman can be seen confronting the alleged gunman moments before he sidesteps her and begins shooting.
Seven distinct gunshots can be heard as panicked tourists flee in all directions, with bodies seen lying motionless on the pavement in the aftermath.
The livestream, which had been posted by YouTuber “Finny Da Legend,” shows the final moments before a police officer appears to pick up the camera and the feed cuts out.
SOCIAL MEDIA FEUD TURNS DEADLY
In a morning press briefing, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Undersheriff Andrew Walsh confirmed the shooting was an “isolated incident” linked to an online dispute.
At this point, we believe we have the suspect identified and that this is an isolated incident,” Walsh told reporters.
He revealed that investigators believe the suspect and victims “had previously engaged in some type of conflict using a variety of social media platforms.
Officers who were patrolling Las Vegas Boulevard heard the gunfire coming from the west side of the street and immediately rushed to the scene, where they discovered two people with apparent gunshot wounds.
Despite immediate medical attention, both victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
MANHUNT UNDERWAY
While police say they have identified the suspect, no arrests have been made as authorities launch an urgent manhunt for the gunman.
The shooting location – the 3600 block of South Las Vegas Boulevard – remained cordoned off well into Monday morning, with the Strip closed from Flamingo Road to Harmon Avenue before later reopening.
Walsh stressed the shooting did NOT occur inside any casino, attempting to reassure tourists that the violence was targeted rather than random.
Please avoid the area,” police initially warned on social media as dozens of patrol cars descended on the scene.
WITNESS TERROR
Shocked witnesses described scenes of chaos and terror as the shots rang out at one of Vegas’s busiest tourist spots.
“I was 20-30 feet away from the shooter and we all got confused and saw people running and that was when I started running,” one witness wrote online.
Another added: “We were about a block away. This shook me in a way I’ve never felt.”
A third witness said: “Active shooter situation on Las Vegas Strip. Heavy police and rescue on scene. Situation seems to be under control. No more shots fired.”
ECHOES OF 2017 MASSACRE
The shooting immediately sparked fears of another mass casualty event like the 2017 Las Vegas massacre – the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.
That attack saw gunman Stephen Paddock open fire from his Mandalay Bay hotel room onto the Route 91 Harvest music festival below, killing 60 people and wounding more than 400 others before taking his own life.
Sunday night’s shooting occurred less than two miles from where that tragedy unfolded, bringing back painful memories for a city that has worked hard to move past the trauma.
POLICE APPEAL
Authorities are urgently appealing for witnesses to come forward with any information about the shooting or the ongoing social media dispute that preceded it.
We need the public’s help,” Walsh said, urging anyone with information to contact LVMPD’s Homicide Section at 702-828-3521 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 702-385-5555.
Police have not released the identities of the victims or the suspect, though they indicated more information would be forthcoming as the investigation progresses.
VEGAS ON EDGE
The shooting has left tourists and locals on edge in a city that prides itself on providing safe entertainment for millions of visitors each year.
The Bellagio, one of the Strip’s most luxurious properties known for its spectacular fountain shows set to music, draws thousands of spectators nightly to watch the water displays.
The fact that such violence could erupt at this landmark location – typically packed with families and tourists from around the world – has sent shockwaves through the hospitality community.
Neither the Bellagio Hotel and Casino nor parent company MGM Resorts have commented on the incident, which occurred on the public sidewalk outside their property.
As dawn broke over the Strip on Monday, crime scene tape and a heavy police presence served as a stark reminder that even in the “Entertainment Capital of the World,” social media feuds can turn deadly in an instant.
The investigation continues as Las Vegas grapples with yet another shooting that has marred its carefully cultivated image as a safe playground for adults.
