A “stalker” who threatened to mimic America’s worst mass shooting in history during the Stanley Cup Finals was thwarted by police just hours before the Vegas Golden Knights clinched the ice hockey championship on Tuesday night.
The Las Vegas Metro Police Department successfully thwarted Matthew DeSavio’s chilling threat to carry out what would have been a devastating carnage in front of a franchise-record crowd of 19,058 at the T-Mobile Arena.
Just before noon Tuesday, police were called to a Las Vegas business by a person who said Officers DeSavio had stalked them for about a decade, officers said.
DeSavio, 33, later arrived at the company where police arrested him, according to documents obtained by Nexstar’s KLAS Wednesday.
Police said DeSavio also posted threatening messages about the Stanley Cup Finals on Facebook. It was Vegas Golden Knights who triumphed over the Florida Panthers, leading to wild scenes of cheering in ‘Sin City’.
Las Vegas metro police successfully thwarted Matthew DeSavio’s chilling threat to carry out what would have been a devastating mass shooting. Pictured: DeSavio after his arrest
A possible mass shooting was foiled by police just hours before Vegas Golden Knights (pictured celebrates) won the Stanley Cup at T-Mobile Arena
DeSavio Threatened To Recreate Devastating 2017 Mandalay Bay Shooting (People Are Running Away October 1, 2017)
A terrifying message from DeSavio read, “I’m coming to get you guys tonight and I hope you get everything [expletive] police officer in Vegas Golden Knights there to defend you!’.
“Hope Sin City is ready for the massacre at Mandalay Bay [sic].’
DeSavio’s message was a sickening reference to America’s worst-ever mass shooting, which killed 61 people, including the killer, and injured hundreds more.
Lone gunman Stephen Craig Paddock used automatic weapons to rain down gunfire on a crowd of 22,000 people attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival on Oct. 1, 2017.
The 64-year-old multimillionaire, who then shot himself, was found dead with 16 guns in a room at the Mandalay Bay hotel, across the street from the festival.
Six years after the horror massacre, DeSavio was arrested by police outside a Vegas business about five hours before the game started.
Police had also been contacted by a concerned member of the public who had seen DeSavio’s Facebook posts stating his intention to “carry out a mass shooting at the T-Mobile Arena.”
As patrol officers placed DeSavio in the patrol car, DeSavio made several excited statements asking if anyone had seen his Facebook posts yet and that the Knights must win by a certain amount or he will do a repeat of the Mandalay Bay shooting on October 1. ,” the police said.
The shooting could have been disastrous. A franchise-record crowd of 19,058 was at the T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday
DeSavio has made threats before. This post, still on his Facebook, again references the mass shooting in Mandalay Bay on October 1
Police said DeSavio had been tried for previous stalking and harassment charges. They did not reveal whether the 33-year-old actually had access to weapons, although police said they were aware of the threat after his arrest.
Worryingly, police had also received reports of another “disturbing Facebook post” from DeSavio on Oct. 26.
Something big is about to happen on the Vegas Strip. #1 October was just a review! Let’s [expletive] [expletive] before I literally blow up Paradise NV,” the post said, according to police.
Police questioned DeSavio over the threat last year after he agreed to meet them at a fast food restaurant. During the interrogation, DeSavio allegedly “stated that he wanted to drive his vehicle into Mandalay Bay.”
DeSavio was ordered by a judge in November to complete a competency evaluation and waited 78 days for treatment — something his public defender said violated his rights to a fair trial.
Judge Christy Craig concluded in March that the state had failed to send DeSavio to behavioral therapy in a timely manner.
DeSavio refused to be taken from Clark County Detention Center to the Regional Justice Center for his first appearance on Wednesday. Pictured: The Vegas Golden Knights pose with the Stanley Cup
After serving eight days in custody, the judge dismissed the charges and he was released in April.
He is charged with stalking, making a false threat related to an act of terrorism, aggravated stalking and violating a temporary protection order for the threats made on Tuesday.
DeSavio refused to be taken from Clark County Detention Center to the Regional Justice Center for his first appearance on Wednesday.
His court appearance was rescheduled for June 20 without bail.