An embarrassing incident
A man accidentally shot himself while walking through the Cosmopolitan casino resort in Las Vegas. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers went to the Strip casino at about 5:41am Tuesday morning and discovered Ronnie Delouth on the ground with what appeared to be a gunshot wound on his left leg. The Henderson resident was escorted to the University Medical Center (UMC) where he received emergency surgery.
takes a gun from his waistband, and throws it under one of the slot machines
Police officers looked at the casino’s surveillance footage and saw Delouth walking through the slot machine area when he “jerks suddenly and falls to the ground.” He then rolls on the floor, takes a gun from his waistband, and throws it under one of the slot machines. Delouth then crawled away to try to distance himself from the weapon.
A significant rap sheet
Detectives were able to find the weapon, a bullet, and a tactical light for a firearm. The gun was a polymer 80 (P80), often called a ghost gun as it doesn’t have any serial numbers.
he has three convictions in Nevada and is not allowed to possess or own a firearm
Officers ran Delouth through their database and discovered that he has three convictions in Nevada and is not allowed to possess or own a firearm. His previous convictions were attempted robbery, burglary, and weapon possession.
A warrant was also out for his arrest over a petit larceny charge. Delouth has since been released from the hospital and is in jail on the petit larceny charge, in addition to charges of not having a permit to carry a concealed firearm and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. A hearing for the case is scheduled for February 28.
Firearms in Nevada casinos
A big issue, in this case, was not that Delouth was carrying a concealed firearm in a Las Vegas casino, but that he was not allowed to do so as he was a convicted felon and didn’t have a permit. It is legal under state law for people to carry a concealed firearm at any casino in Nevada.
Casino staff can ask a person to leave with their weapon as casinos are private properties and may have their own policies in place. Someone who refuses to leave the property after such a request can face a misdemeanor trespassing charge. Such a charge can carry a fine of up to $1,000 and as many as six months in prison. MGM Resorts International currently does not allow people to carry firearms at any of its properties, including the Cosmopolitan.