LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A man accused of stabbing two people at Red Rock Casino back in August has reached a plea agreement.
Court records show that Shayne Sussman has agreed to an Alford Plea with prosecutors. That means he doesn’t admit that he is guilty but does agree that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him.
The incident happened on August 3 around 1 a.m.
Police say Sussman was at the casino for a concert and that he proceeded to “get plastered”.
Joel Pesola, a casino maintenance worker, propped open a door to an employees-only area in order to move machinery. That’s when he told a grand jury that he was attacked.
“I went to look at something on the machine and, out of nowhere, he was coming toward me and before I could react, he was
hovering over me, hitting me with both arms,” Pesola said. “I certainly didn’t feel the first two stab wounds. It took me a lot of time to really realize that it did hurt when he was hitting me. I kept repeatedly asking him why are you doing this to me? I don’t know you. What did I do to you?”
Hernan Andrade, another casino employee, pulled Sussman off of Pesola. As Andrade tried to call for help, Sussman attacked him, stabbing him multiple times.
“I followed him on my phone trying to call security. When I got to the end of the hallway, I didn’t know that the suspect was hiding. So while I was on the phone, he jumped me,” Andrade explained. “I ran back to where the other employee was hurt. As soon as I got there, they closed the main doors so this individual wouldn’t come back and keep hitting us.”
Shortly after the attack, Red Rock Casino security bike officer Chance Sanders told a grand jury that he spotted Sussman and that something was off.
“I saw him and he just didn’t look right,” Red Rock security bike officer Chance Sanders told a grand jury. “When he sat himself down, he did not sit himself down like a normal human being would, somebody in the right state of mind. He kind of plopped himself down and then his head was cocked awkwardly on the decor behind him and it just looked extremely uncomfortable.”
Sanders said Sussman grabbed his chest and said his heart was racing. However, Sanders noticed something that made him stop before approaching Sussman.
“He was white-knuckling an open pocket knife up against his right pocket. He was squeezing it so hard,” Sanders told a grand jury. “I did notice on the tip of the knife, there was what looked to be blood.”
As other officers arrived at the scene, Sanders said Sussman charged them before turning and running further into the casino. According to Sanders, officers began chasing Sussman and at one point, Sanders was almost stabbed.
“The second I touched him, his whole body tensed up and he spun around and with a 360 back spin and that knife came right at my head,” Sanders said. “The light is shining off of it and everything and by the grace of God, I don’t know how, but somehow I ducked.”
As Sussman turned towards Sanders to try to swing again, another officer shot Sussman in the stomach.
Sussman, Pesola, and Andrade were all taken to the hospital to be treated. According to court records, Sussman’s alcohol level was at .25% when he was at University Medical Center. For context, the blood alcohol concentration limit to operate a vehicle in Nevada is 0.08%. Medical staff also detected THC in his system, a psychoactive substance that is found in marijuana.
Pesola said one of the stab wounds punctured a lung, which is still healing.
“I don’t have much movement now, still. The job that I perform could be very physical at times,” Pesola explained. “You do a lot of lifting and a lot of pulling and a lot of pushing. It’s a very physical job. [Right now], I couldn’t perform it if I tried.”
As for Andrade, he’s also continuing to heal.
“Pretty much from side to side and I still, half of my lip is still numb. I don’t feel it,” Andrade said. “I don’t feel half of [my face].”
According to court records, Sussman is facing 11 charges, including attempted murder, battery with use of a deadly weapon, and assault.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 26.
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