Man Killed in Shooting at MGM National Harbor Casino

^{Police vehicles outside MGM National Harbor Casino on Wednesday after a man was killed in a targeted shooting inside the property's food court. (Photo: Andrew Leyden / ZUMA Press Wire)}

A man was killed in what police are calling a targeted shooting that took place in a food court at the MGM National Harbor Hotel and Casino on Wednesday afternoon.

According to Prince George’s County police officials, the man was declared dead at the scene. He was believed to be in his 20s. 

Police Say Victim was Targeted

Police say they responded to a report of a shooting just before noon in the food court. Originally, police believed a second individual had also been grazed by a bullet, but Prince George’s County Police Chief George Nader later confirmed to reporters that only one person was injured.

In a news conference, Nader said that investigators are searching for a suspect seen on video during the incident, but no description of the suspect has been released to the public. A preliminary investigation found that the suspect had fled the scene in a vehicle.

According to police, the gunman appeared to have been looking specifically for the victim rather than a random event.

“The victim was ordering food, the suspect appeared and immediately began shooting at the victim,” Nader told reporters. “It speared that they were looking for this person, chased them down and this shooting occurred right there in the food court.”

Nader added that crime in the area around MGM National Harbor is down this year, and that police don’t believe that the location had anything to do with the shooting.

“MGM is safe. The harbor is safe,” he said. “This was a targeted incident. We believe that it would have folded out anywhere once these two individuals came into the same area.”

After the shooting, the casino remained mostly open, though the food court was closed for an investigation. Several nearby schools were temporarily placed on lockdown until police confirmed that the shooter was not fleeing on foot. Authorities say there is no threat to the general public related to this shooting.

Prior Shooting Incidents Related to MGM National Harbor  

MGM National Harbor opened in 2016 just outside of Washington D.C. in National Harbor, Maryland. Along with the casino, the facility includes a 23-story hotel, a 3,000-seat theater, and a 4,800-space parking garage. 

This isn’t the first incident connected to the property, the most popular of all Maryland casinos.

In December 2019, two men – one who had won $42,000 at the casino – were followed back to home and ambushed by Daquan Artis Tinker, who shot one of the men before robbing them. Tinker was sentenced to nine years in prison after being found guilty on eight charges related to the incident. 

In August 2020, blackjack player Nathaniel Nagbe won what he says was $60,000 at the casino, only for three individuals he knew to enter his hotel room and unsuccessfully attempt to open his room safe. Nagbe tried to flee but was shot in the back. He was able to make his way to the hotel valet and find help and survived the attack. Prosecutors later charged Alicia McCoy and Barry Reid with attempted first-degree murder and other charges related to the shooting.