Five years later: Las Vegas massacre survivors spread hope and healing
Survivors and victims' families of the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting share their stories as they continue to heal five years later.
A Las Vegas man appeared to laugh off his October 2022 arrest for promising a "Mandalay Bay massacre part duex [sic]" hours before he was busted again this week for allegedly doubling down on those threats.
Matthew DeSavio, 33, is accused of threatening to replicate the country's worst mass shooting during the Stanley Cup Final before the Vegas Golden Knights clinched the NHL title, police sources told 8 News Now.
Police cuffed DeSavio near an unnamed Las Vegas business shortly before noon Tuesday, according to the local news report, which said a tipster told responding officers DeSavio stalked the tipster for about a decade.
"I’m coming for you guys tonight and I hope you get every [expletive] police officer in Vegas Golden Knights there to defend you!" DeSavio allegedly wrote in a Facebook message, 8 News Now reported based on police documents. "Hope Sin City is ready for the Mandalay Bay massacre part duex."
Matthew DeSavio, 33, was charged with stalking, making threats as an act of terrorism, aggravated stalking and stalking/harassment, according to Clark County, Nev., jail records. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
Just hours before his arrest, DeSavio allegedly went on Facebook and posted several screenshots of a local news outlet's story about his October 2022 arrest with the headline, "Las Vegas man arrested for posting 1 October-style threat on Facebook, police say."
In one post, he allegedly wrote "Oh Metro… Where do I BEGIN…." He followed that post with a "f--- you" directed at a therapist and the clinic where she worked, along with "HAHAHA" and three laughing face emoji.
Fox News Digital isn't publishing the therapist's name or clinic to protect them and filed a public records request for more information.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS IN PITTSBURGH MASS SHOOTING SUSPECT'S TRIAL SET TO BEGIN
Police confirmed the arrest. DeSavio was charged with stalking, making threats as an act of terrorism, aggravated stalking and stalking/harassment, according to Clark County, Nevada, jail records.
This is at least the second time he has publicly talked about recreating this country's deadliest mass shooting, when Stephen Paddock opened fire on a crowded music festival from a Las Vegas hotel window Oct. 1, 2017.
Fifty-eight people were killed that day, and at least 500 more were injured. Two people died in the hospital later from injuries they suffered in the shooting. Paddock killed himself as law enforcement closed in on him.
DeSavio allegedly wrote, "I warned y'all October 1st was just a preview," police told 8 News Now.
"As patrol officers were placing DeSavio into the patrol car, DeSavio declared several excited utterances asking if anyone had seen his Facebook posts yet and that the Knights need to win by a certain amount or he will do a repeat of the Mandalay Bay 1 October shooting," police said.
Police didn't say he had access to weapons, a police spokesperson told 8 News Now.
LAS VEGAS MASS SHOOTER WHO FIRED ONTO COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL ANGRY WITH CASINOS, NEW FBI DOCS REVEAL
October's arrest
DeSavio's arrest in October was made after a medical center, which reportedly knew about DeSavio, called police about his threats to recreate the 2017 Las Vegas massacre.
"Something BIg(!!!!!) is about to hit the Vegas strip," DeSavio's allegedly wrote Oct. 26, 2022, on Facebook.
"#October1stwasJUSTaPREVIEW!!!!! Let’s f*** s*** up before I LITERALLY #BLOWup (Paradise)NV!!! #MikePence #LET’sF******gogoGADGETGOOOO!! HahahaHAHAHA!"
A person takes photos of a video board at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders, as it displays a congratulatory message for the Vegas Golden Knights after they defeated the Florida Panthers 9-3 in Game 5 of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final to win the series four games to one at T-Mobile Arena June 13, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
He reportedly told police he was comedian Pete Davidson while he was being cuffed and later told investigators he wanted to drive his car into the Bellagio fountains.
In a follow-up interview with police, he allegedly told them he wanted to get the police's attention, and he understood people would be hurt if he drove into the Bellagio fountains, news3LV reported at the time.
"That's why I wanted to do it," he allegedly said, according to the local news report that cited the arrest report.
POTENTIAL MEMORIAL DESIGNS FOR LAS VEGAS MASSACRE UNVEILED, MAJOR STEP IN PLANNING PROCESS
People light candles and place figures and flowers at a makeshift memorial along the Las Vegas Strip for the Las Vegas mass shooting victims killed by a gunman Oct. 5, 2017, in Las Vegas. (Bilgin S. Sasmaz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
October 2022 case falls apart
DeSavio became a free man on a technicality after his October 2022 arrest, according to court filings, which said he waited 78 days for a court-ordered competence evaluation.
The state failed to transport him to a medical facility, according to a judge's ruling.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
His public defender argued the months-long wait violated DeSavio's due process, which Judge Christy Craig agreed with in a March filing.
DeSavio spent eight more days in jail before he was released in April.
