Las Vegas Strip shooting: Two people shot dead; police believe attack was targeted

Two people were shot dead late on Sunday near the Bellagio fountains on the Las Vegas Strip.Police believe it was a targeted attack following a social media dispute, reports the New York Times.The suspected gunman was identified as 41-year-old Manuel Ruiz, who turned himself in at a police station in nearby Henderson on Monday. According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan police department, Ruiz is expected to be charged with two counts of murder with a deadly weapon.Undersheriff Andrew Walsh told reporters at a press briefing that the victims and suspect "knew each other and had previously engaged in conflict over social media prior to the shooting."

He added that the feud had taken place across "a variety of social media platforms."The shooting occurred around 10:40 pm local time on Las Vegas Boulevard, close to the Bellagio Resort & Casino. Police officers who were patrolling the area at the time heard gunshots and rushed to the scene, where they found two individuals on the sidewalk with gunshot wounds. They were pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel.

Footage of the incident, shared widely online and verified by Storyful, shows a man looking into the camera as crowds move along the pavement behind him. A second man wearing a cap and sunglasses is then seen firing a weapon while a woman attempts to intervene. Around seven gunshots are audible in the video, as bystanders flee or drop to the ground in panic.Police described the shooting as an “isolated incident” and said it was not a random act of violence. "It is believed that the suspect and the victims knew each other," the police said in a statement.As of Monday morning, court records did not list an attorney for Ruiz, and the Clark County Public Defender's Office said it was unclear whether he had legal representation.