Fremont Street Shootings Lead to Two Wounded Victims in Downtown Las Vegas

Posted on: December 30, 2022, 07:39h. 

Last updated on: December 30, 2022, 01:44h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

Two people were shot Thursday night near the Fremont Street Experience (FSE) in downtown Las Vegas. Both were wounded in the leg.

Fremont Street Experience
The Fremont Street Experience, pictured above. Two people were shot near the pedestrian mall in downtown Las Vegas on Thursday. (Image: Travel in USA)

The victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment. Their injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, based on initial reports.

The shootings took place near Fremont and Fourth streets close to the FSE. It is a popular pedestrian mall with many casinos, restaurants, bars, and music stages nearby. It appears the 10:15 pm incident was because of a dispute between the shooter and several people, KLAS, a local TV station, reported.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers searched the area for witnesses and evidence. They likely also reviewed video from surveillance cameras.

As of Thursday night, officers had yet to make an arrest in the case.

Fatal Shooting

Earlier this year, there were prior serious shootings and other violence at or near the FSE.

Most notably, on June 19, Raymond Renova, 23, was killed during a shooting there. He worked as a tattoo artist and lived in Las Vegas. A second victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. He was described as an “innocent bystander.”

The incident began as an apparent dispute among several individuals. The situation escalated and one of the people pulled out a firearm. Bullets struck Renova and the second victim, KTNV, a local TV station, reported.

LVMPD officers later arrested Ruben Robles, then 16, for the shooting. He was charged with murder, attempted murder, and carrying a concealed weapon. His case is expected to go to trial next April.

In July, another suspect, Fabian Carmona, 22, was also arrested in connection with the June shootings. He is charged with murder with a deadly weapon, attempted murder with a deadly weapon, and conspiracy to commit murder, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

He allegedly took part in the fight which led to the homicide and assault. Carmona “threw the first punch” and stomped on one of the victims, KLAS reported. He also got stabbed in the fight, the report added.

The case against him is pending in local courts. Carmona remains in the Clark County Detention Center.

Temporary Restrictions

The fatal shooting, as well as other violence in downtown Las Vegas, led authorities to temporarily implement stricter search rules and other safeguards in the area starting during the summer. The permit for the new regulations lasted until last month.

Visitors to the FSE had to go through metal detectors and undergo security searches. Guards checked pedestrians’ bags and screened IDs. The added safeguards included a limited weekend curfew on those under 21 years of age.

Under the new rules, no one younger than 21 had been able to enter the pedestrian mall without a parent or guardian after 8 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. Street performers were banned during those times, too.

The restrictions led to a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada (ACLU). A street performer and two 18-year-olds were unfairly targeted, the suit claims. It is a violation of the First Amendment, the lawsuit added.

Also, starting in the summer, the LVMPD upped its presence on and around Fremont Street downtown on weekends.