LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The man accused of a stabbing eight people on the on the Las Vegas Strip, killing two of them, is not mentally competent to stand trial, a judge ruled on Friday.
Yoni Barrios, 32, was arrested for two counts of open murder with a deadly weapon and six counts of attempted murder with a deadly weapon shortly after the mass stabbing attack on Oct. 6.
Barrios refused to be transported to Clark County District Court for his hearing, though his attorney was present.
Two out of three doctors who evaluated Barrios' mental state concluded he is not capable of understanding the charges against him, nor assisting his attorney in his defense.
Several of the victims of the mass stabbing attack were women who worked as showgirls, posing for photos with tourists on the Strip.
Barrios approached a group of women outside the Venetian and asked to pose for a photo with them "with his knife," according to an arrest report obtained by KTNV. A witness described the blade as approximately 8 to 10 inches long. Uncomfortable at the sight of the knife, the women refused to take a photo with Barrios, police were told.
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In an interview with police after his arrest, Barrios said he "thought the women were laughing at him and making fun of his clothing."
Surveillance video shows him stabbing Maris Digiovanni, 30, in the chest and stabbing another woman in the back before running away with the knife still in hand, according to the report. As he ran, police say Barrios stabbed multiple bystanders, including 47-year-old Brent Hallet, who died from his wounds.
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Friday's ruling means Barrios will be transported to a state facility to receive psychiatric treatment. His competency can be re-evaluated in the future. If it's determined he is competent to stand trial, he can be referred back to the court for further criminal proceedings.
