NEW UPDATE:

From the latest news:

The security officer killed in the gunbattle was 65-year-old Stan Cooper, a retired Las Vegas police officer who worked for a federal contractor providing security at the courthouse, according to a source.

The gunman opened fire about 8 a.m. inside the lobby of the Lloyd George U.S. Courthouse, 333 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

Las Vegas police spokeswoman Barbara Morgan said the shooter had been shot in the head.

“It looks like he went in there and just started unloading,” Morgan said.

The security officer was hit in the chest, and the deputy marshal was shot in the arm, he said. The 48-year-old marshal remained at University Medical Center in serious condition, though his injuries were not life-threatening, according to a source with knowledge of his injuries.

The gunman was shot and killed at the scene, FBI Special Agent Joseph Dickey confirmed. The gunman, who hid his gun under a black coat, died across the street, at the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St., shortly after the shootout, he said.

Seven marshals and court security officers returned fire in the gunfight, Dickey said.

Investigators have not determined a motive for the shooting, but Dickey said "this was not a terrorist event."

Dickey also said the surviving court officer was in "good shape."

Authorities believe the shooter acted alone, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Roxanna Lea Irwin said.

The courthouse was evacuated and Las Vegas police cordoned off the area for several blocks.

After police arrived, paramedics wheeled at least two people out and down a ramp to ambulances. Dickey called the building evacuation “standard procedure” in such an incident, and said it was “for the safety of everybody in the place.”

"He walked into the courthouse and started shooting," U.S. Sen. John Ensign said.

Several downtown streets were shut down and traffic was diverted. Las Vegas Boulevard in the downtown area was closed to northbound and southbound traffic. The Las Vegas Academy, 315 S. 7th St., was on lockdown. The Regional Justice Center has been closed for the rest of the day.

Outside UMC a couple hours after the gunfire, a procession of more than a dozen police motorcycles and other vehicles escorted the body of Cooper from the hospital to the coroner's office.

About 20 law enforcement officers from the FBI, U.S. Marshals, Metropolitan Police Department and other agencies standing outside the UMC Trauma Center saluted as the procession drove by.

Jon McGovern, who runs a hot dog stand outside the Courthouse Bar & Grill, said he was setting up the stand around 8 a.m. when he heard two or three “pops” in quick succession, followed by other shots that “went in cycles.” He said at least 30 to 40 rounds were fired.

“It sounded like a fireworks show,” McGovern said.

He said that soon after the gunfire, about 30 to 40 people ran away from the shooting and down Lewis Avenue toward the restaurant shouting “Get down, get shelter.”

Mario Fenu, a defense attorney, said that about 8 a.m. he was walking on the sidewalk next to the courthouse heading toward the entrance when he heard a “pop.”

He said he thought it might be a gun but didn’t think it was near him because of the way sounds reverberate off the building, so he kept walking.

Five seconds later he heard “five pops” in succession, he said.

He said when he turned the corner he saw a man who didn’t appear to be a police officer in an “attack stance” aiming “a long gun” at the entrance of the building. The shooter was hiding behind a column.

Fenu said he saw another man behind a column on the far end of the patio, also in an “attack stance,” but couldn’t be sure if he was an accomplice, a law enforcement officer or an innocent bystander.

As Fenu ran away, he said the barrage intensified, possibly as marshals returned fire from the courthouse.

“I go to gun ranges and don’t hear that much ammo,” Fenu said.

Dozens of potential witnesses of the shooting were corralled inside the auditorium of the Las Vegas Academy where they were gradually being released about 10:45 a.m.

One attorney who declined to give his name said he stopped in the courthouse cafeteria before an 8:30 a.m. court appearance when he heard five or six shots.

"It was loud. It sounded like someone dropped a pan or something," the attorney said.

He said he didn't see anything but as he was later led out of the buidling, he saw bullet holes near the courthouse's front entrance.

He also said there might be more than 100 people in the school's auditorium.

U.S. Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign have their Southern Nevada offices in the federal building. Neither was in the building this morning, aides said. Reid was at his home in Searchlight, a spokesman said.

Fifteen people work in Reid's office, while there are 10 who work for Ensign, according to aides in Washington. It was not known how many were in the building at the time, but whoever was there was evacuated along with other workers.

"All are physically OK," Reid spokesman Jon Summers said of the senator's staff.

“My thoughts are with the victims of today’s shooting and their families," Reid said in a statement. "The law enforcement personnel who protect the courthouse put their lives at risk every day to keep the people who are inside safe and I greatly appreciate their service.”

The Lloyd George U.S. Courthouse opened in 2000 and is named for a longtime senior federal judge who still hears cases.

 Photo courtesy of the R-J.

 

 

LATEST UPDATE:

A hospital official says a court officer has died after being wounded in a shooting at a Las Vegas federal building. A second officer is in serious condition.

The U.S. Marshals Service says the victims included a deputy U.S. marshal and a court security officer. It was not immediately known which of the officers died. Rick Plummer of University Medical Center in Las Vegas says the dead officer was 65 years old.

FBI Special Agent Joseph Dickey says the gunman died soon after the shootout that happened around 8 a.m.

Police and federal agents swarmed the multi-story building that houses federal courts and offices for officials including U.S. Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign.

UPDATE:

The AP has announced:

Authorities say the gunman who shot two officers at a federal building in Las Vegas has been killed.

The U.S. Marshals Service says the victims included a deputy U.S. marshal and a court security officer. FBI Special Agent Joseph Dickey says the gunman died shortly after the shootout that happened around 8 a.m.

Police and federal agents swarmed the multi-story building that houses federal courts and offices for officials including U.S. Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign.

The conditions of the officers and the identity of the shooter were not immediately known. Officials had initially said that both of the victims were marshals.

The shooting took place about 8 a.m. in the lobby of the courthouse.

Officials are clearing the federal courthouse and searching the building, Dickey said.

Several downtown streets have been shut down and traffic is being diverted. The Las Vegas Academy, 315 S. 7th St., is on lockdown. The Regional Justice Courthouse also is on lockdown.

Jon McGovern, who runs a hot dog stand outside the Courthouse Bar & Grill, said he was setting up the stand around 8 a.m. when he heard two or three "pops" in quick succession that were followed by other shots that "went in cycles." He said at least 30 to 40 rounds were fired.

"It sounded like a fireworks show," McGovern said.

He said that soon after the gunfire, about 30 to 40 people ran away from the shooting and down Lewis Avenue toward the restaurant shouting "Get down, get shelter."

He didn't see law enforcement until three to five minutes after the shots were fired.

"It was really bad reaction time, I thought," McGovern said.

 

As the holiday weekend nears an end (and hopefully my cold as well), here's some thoughts about the beautiful Mt. Charleston area.  I'll be back tomorrow and will return to the regular blogging about Las Vegas history.

From the R-J:

For those who missed the "TributePalooza" on New Year's Eve, the bands will be playing all weekend!  Need show tickets?  Click here!

From the Sun:

The self-described "happiest mayor in the universe," Las Vegas' Oscar Goodman, saw a world of hurt in his city last year.

Unemployment spiked. Tourism was down. The ripple of economic woes affecting America touched many in the city so dependent on tourism.

But the last night of 2009 offered Goodman a chance to focus on better times ahead. As the clock ticked toward midnight, with a ceremonial wave of his martini glass, Goodman bid adieu to 2009.

"What I see tonight on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas is the end of the stupid recession," he told a crowd of thousands gathered to celebrate New Year's Eve. He said Las Vegas, "the greatest city in the world," is a place for people to have a good time and not to worry.

"America is coming back because what America needs is a party," he said as the clock inched closer to midnight. As he led the masses in a countdown, a roar erupted. Fireworks popped, couples kissed and dozens clinked plastic footballs filled with beer as 2009 disappeared.

Flanked by showgirls, Goodman kissed his wife, Carolyn, and waved to the crowd.

Under the canopy of lights that is the Fremont Street Experience, digital fireworks made their way across the 1,500-foot screen as real ones dazzled above the crowd.

"It was amazing, just awesome," said Robert Manjarrez, 30, an elementary school teacher from Clovis, Calif.

This was the second year in a row he had come to Fremont Street for New Year's Eve, saying he had such a good time last year he had to come back.

"Compared to last year, the whole experience was much better. Last year we couldn't really see the fireworks. This year was 10 times better."

As for what lies ahead, he echoed Goodman's sentiments.

"I just hope the economy and everything else gets better because last year was tough. This year has got to be an improvement," Manjarrez said.

For Las Vegans Jill and Joe Cuevas, 2009 was a rough year. They were eager to celebrate its demise and did so by sporting the outfits they got married in about a year ago.

In true Las Vegas fashion, the two were dressed in the Elvis-themed attire they wore Dec. 21, 2008, when they went down the aisle in a pink Cadillac at the Viva Las Vegas wedding chapel. Both were adorned with plastic wigs with lit-up "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" signs.

"Tonight we met Oscar Goodman and his wife, who told us that we look awesome. It made us feel good," 25-year-old Jill Cuevas said. "We had a rough year. We're just hoping for happiness."

Her husband chimed in: "And love." Then he kissed her.

Sally Piper, who came to Las Vegas from Mesquite with her fiancé, Mark Peterson, said she's been out of work since the town's Oasis casino closed.

But already, 2010 was full of hope — she got a job offer just before Christmas and the former cocktail waitress was ready to start work at a hospital.

"We actually came to Vegas to celebrate this year," Piper said. Fremont Street, with the fireworks, live music and rich history, was the perfect place to toast to better times. "You don't get all that on the Strip," she said.

Some came from much further away than the far reaches of Clark County: Dennis and Diana Bryson were visiting from North Pole, Alaska. It was their third trip this year to Las Vegas, this time to celebrate their 11th wedding anniversary.

"This was a spontaneous trip. We just bought tickets last week," said Diana Bryson, wearing a purple hat with "2010" emblazoned across the front.

"It was so dead in July when we were here. This is just great. This is how it should be all the time," she said, gesturing at the crowd. As for 2010, "it's got to be better — it can't get any worse."

Earlier in the evening, anticipation for the midnight festivities was at the tip of everyone's tongue.

Larry Workman, 69, and his wife, Shirley, from Orange County, Calif., hoped New Year's Eve 2009 was a repeat of 2008.

"We were here last year, right here on Fremont. We had such a great time we decided to come back and we brought eight people with us," he said.

His sister came in from North Carolina. Two friends came in from Denver, two others from Costa Mesa, Calif.; his niece, an exchange student, came in from Glasgow, Scotland.

"I thought it was kind of a neat deal with all the lights, all the people in the streets and the fireworks up above," he said.

Denise Bostic has lived in Las Vegas for more than a decade but never spent a New Year's Eve on Fremont Street — at least, not until Dec. 31, 2009. Friend Ed Arens talked her into coming downtown and celebrating the holiday, which is also his birthday.

"I have been on the Strip before but I'm way too old for that," she said with a laugh outside the Fremont Hotel & Casino.

As for the new year, Arens said he hadn't thought of a resolution, but Bostic quickly offered, "If you make them, you break them, so why bother?"

Throughout the night, tribute bands paid homage to Aerosmith, Depeche Mode, Guns N' Roses, INXS, Led Zeppelin, No Doubt, U2 and Van Halen at the stages along Fremont as part of the second-annual TributePalooza.

The five-block area in front of the 10 casinos that line the street closed at 5 p.m. to those under 21 so the celebration could begin.

As Blasphemous Rumors, the Depeche Mode tribute band, got the crowd grooving, Jeremy Nelson, 27, of Palm Springs, Calif., and friend Brent Weiand, 27, of Arlington, Va., stood back, taking in the scene from in front of La Bayou casino.

Nelson, originally from Indiana, recently moved to California and the two decided to meet up in Las Vegas for the "wild party" on Fremont Street and, of course, some gambling.

"We're just here to have a good time and maybe win some money," Nelson said.

He said this year was his first time celebrating the holiday in Las Vegas. He usually spends the holiday at a local bar, he said.

"He drove over, I flew in — we were just thinking Vegas would be something different this year," Weiand said. He added that he had doubled his money since he'd gotten to town.

While the New Year's Eve celebrations are a big deal in Las Vegas, they're rivaled by those in New York City.

Jodie Wright and her boyfriend, Mike Lopez, hail from the Big Apple, where partiers have been ringing in the new year at Times Square for more than 100 years. As the sun was setting on the last day of 2009, the two said they had high expectations for their evening of revelry under the glow of Las Vegas' neon lights.

Despite the history of their hometown, both said they were expecting their evening in downtown Las Vegas to be more enjoyable than New York.

"I did Times Square in 2001 — we were in a hotel overlooking it. But unless you're really down there, it's not great," Lopez said. "And in Times Square, you're stuffed together. You can't move. It's terrible."

Wright said she was looking forward to a more relaxed atmosphere.

"I'm expecting it not to be as packed as Times Square, which makes me happy," she said. "We picked celebrating here over New York because fireworks are fireworks wherever you go, but we think this will be a little more lively and more festive."

As the day progressed, dozens of people streamed through an area near the Neonopolis, where a booth was set up to sell wristbands. The wristbands, which went on sale at 10 a.m., cost $10 for those with a Nevada identification card and $20 for out-of-state revelers.

Wristbands were also available at gates leading to the Fremont Street Experience.

New Year's Eve is the only day a ticket is required for entry into the Fremont Street Experience. Last year, the 30,000 tickets available were gone by about 11:15 p.m., said Fremont Street Experience marketing director Thomas Bruny. This year, capacity was increased to 35,000, he said.

The event didn't sell out but Bruny said attendance was "great," estimating that numbers were similar to last year.

Booths selling 2010-themed garb, like novelty sunglasses, hats, beads and T-shirts, were set up throughout the area. Before the festivities kicked off, near one of the booths was Brajesh Piwanji, 24. Pinwanji said he didn't drink, but that wouldn't stop him from having an enjoyable evening.

"I'm expecting fun and a lot of fun things to do," he said. Piwanji, who lives in San Jose, Calif., recently moved from India. This was his first New Year's Eve in the United States.

Not everyone milling around Fremont Street on Thursday planned to stay 'til the clock struck 12. Before the area was closed off, plenty of families with strollers were spotted taking in the sights.

Although the celebration technically drew to a close in the early morning hours Friday, the entertainment was to continue through the weekend. The musical acts pick up again Friday and Saturday nights starting at 8 p.m. with free "Rock 'N' Recovery" concerts.

It was an interesting New Year's Eve in Las Vegas.  According to reports, 82 people where charged with DUIs on New Year's Eve, another 57 on miscellanous charges and 2 were charged with felonies.  I guess when it comes to celebrations, revelers in Las Vegas seem to think that over-the-top is the only way to go.

From the R-J:

Trooper Chelita Rojas said the department had every trooper from its Southern Command, plus some from its Northern Command, on valley freeways making traffic stops.

"There were a lot more officers on the road able to pull people over," Rojas said.

Las Vegas police also had all of its 3,241 officers working on New Year's Eve. Some were operating DUI checkpoints, but the department did not release the number of people arrested.

But it was a relatively peaceful celebration for the Las Vegas Valley. Law enforcement agencies reported no slayings or fatal accidents on New Year's Eve or the morning after.

In the Reno area, authorities arrested 27 people for driving under the influence on New Year's Eve, down slightly from last year.

But the number of people taken into protective custody for intoxication was up to 32, compared with 26 last year.

Additionally, the Washoe County Jail reported five arrests were made for domestic battery. In all, 84 people were booked into jail over a 12-hour period beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday.

In Las Vegas, about 315,000 people from out of town rang in the New Year on the Strip and downtown -- the largest such party west of the Mississippi, according to tourism officials. That's an 8 percent jump from the year before.

In downtown Las Vegas, officials gave out 5,000 more wrist bands to people than last year to watch the various tribute bands under the Fremont Street Experience.

Along the Strip on New Year's Eve, the crowd was still streaming in at 11:30 p.m., with hundreds of people walking over the Flamingo Road overpass at Interstate 15. They were greeted by a rocking performance by a group playing bongos between Caesars Palace and Bellagio.

Some visitors came to forget their troubles, some to see off a 2009 that has been tough on many, and yet others came for, well, different reasons.

Clad in traditional Scottish wear, including a green plaid kilt, 26-year-old Jackson Murray, from Scotland, said he and friends traveled across the pond because they enjoyed the hit 2009 comedy, "The Hangover," in which a group of friends wake up in their Caesars Palace hotel room not remembering anything that happened during the raucous night before.

Asked where he was staying, Jackson said, "Caesars, obviously."