LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas man arrested hours before the Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup had threatened a mass shooting at T-Mobile Arena, according to an arrest report obtained by Channel 13.
Matthew DeSavio was taken into custody at 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the report.
Just three hours earlier, multiple people called 911 reporting threats DeSavio made on social media regarding the Stanley Cup Final, investigators stated in the report.
Officers documented a post on DeSavio's Facebook page claiming "OCTOBER 1st WAS JUST A PREVIEW," in reference to the mass shooting outside Mandalay Bay on Oct. 1, 2017.
"GET READY FOR THE MANDALAY BAY MASSACRE PART DUES (sic)," DeSavio is said the have written. "IF THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS DON’T BEAT THOSE FLORIDA F—s AND WIN THE CUPP TIME TO #PAINTTHATSTAN GOLD TONIGHT OR DIE TOURISTS DIE #I WARNED YA’LL OCTOBER 1ST WAS JUST A PREVIEW.”
According to investigators, DeSavio also made similar statements in a private message to an individual who has a restraining order against him.
"I’m coming for you guys TONIGHT AND I HOPE YOU GET EVERY F—ING OFFICER IN VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS THERE TO DEFEND YOU!" the message stated, according to the arrest report. "HOPE Sin City is ready For The Mandalay Bay MASSACRE PART DEUX!!!!!! #F—TOURISTS!!!!!”
Police noted DeSavio ended the message with "an emoji of a purple angry devil face."
Metro officers notified of the threats on Tuesday brought them to the Southern Nevada Counter Terrorism Center, which sent detectives to investigate.
Those detectives interviewed at least three people with temporary protective orders against DeSavio — one of whom police said DeSavio had been stalking for approximately nine years.
That individual got a call from DeSavio in the middle of her interview with police. Officers documented what was heard when she answered the phone:
"...he was breathing heavily and started screaming" that “…my life is s—… no more nice man… OK… f— I’m headed to your office now I’m almost there… I’m done [redacted] do you hear me I’m DONE…”
In the report, officers stated DeSavio was "screaming in a threatening manner that was frightening," and told the woman to "call Metro... you B—... I'll slit your throat and kill your f— a— son."
As DeSavio walked into the woman's office, he was met by counter-terrorism detectives, who took him into custody, the arrest report states.
While officers were escorting him to a patrol car, investigators state DeSavio made several more "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.”
In their report, investigators noted DeSavio has a documented criminal history that includes “a pattern of terroristic threats, harassment, stalking, violation of TPO (temporary protected order), destroy property of another, engage in lewdness in a public place and domestic battery.”
A relative of DeSavio's told police he has a diagnosed medical condition (redacted in the report obtained by Channel 13) and “has been exhibiting erratic and threatening behavior for over a decade.”
Officers arrested DeSavio on multiple felonies, including aggravated stalking, stalking by internet or electronic means, making terroristic threats, and violation of a stalking/harassment protective order.
He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center. As of Wednesday, his bail was set at $60,000.
