LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A shoplifting suspect injured herself and two other people in a shooting that closed down a section of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue on Tuesday.
Mercedes Cage of California is accused of the shooting that broke out after an incident at the World’s Largest Gift Shop, according to an arrest report.
A security guard at the gift shop told police Cage was seen taking a sweater from the sales rack and exiting the building without paying.
The security guard then confronted her in the parking lot and grabbed the sweater from her.
That is when she pulled out a gun from her waistband and began shooting nine rounds at two security guards.
One of the security guards was shot in the back and fell to the ground, the other security guard then immediately performed CPR on him.
Cage’s gun then appeared to malfunction and that is when one of the security guards ran up and tackled her to the ground along a crosswalk.
As the security guard and Cage struggled on the ground at the crosswalk, she ended up shooting herself in the armpit.
A good samaritan reported seeing the entire incident unfold while in his car and told police he decided to pull over and help the security guard take the suspect into custody.
Both security guards were injured during the shooting one of which was taken to UMC and initially listed in critical condition after being hit with a bullet in the back. The other security guard said he received lacerations on the back of the head during the incident.
After the arrest Cage told police in an interview she was accused of shoplifting and searched at the gift shop by a security guard. She then went on to tell police she was pepper sprayed by a man outside who accused her of stealing. She accused the man of taking “her stuff” and then said she “reacted” to this by shooting him. Cage then ended the police interview and asked for an attorney. She now faces several charges which are listed below.
Charges/offenses include:
- Attempted murder
- Assault with a deadly weapon
- Discharging a gun where others may be endangered
- Discharging a gun into an occupied structure
- Destroy property of another, $250 – $5K