Police Seek Suspects Who Attacked Couple on Las Vegas Strip

A husband and wife were attacked on the Las Vegas Strip this last weekend who were in town from St. Louis celebrating their sixth wedding anniversary. Now, police are searching for two suspects believed to be connected to the crime. 

The assault was caught on video. 

This comes after a teenager was convicted and sentenced to 11 to 27 years in prison for a murder at the Luxor in a June 2023 case. 

The Victims in the Case

The victims have been identified as Mitchell and Michelle Stonebarger, natives of St. Louis, Missouri. The two had recently checked into Paris Las Vegas before heading out to the strip for a walk. Mitchell had a video camera with him and was documenting the scenery in the popular tourist attraction area. 

The incident happened during the day. While filming, two men wearing blue shirts, including one with a Los Angeles Dodger hat, approached Stonebarger and were angry he was filming. 

In the video, you can hear one of the “Don’t put your camera in nobody’s f****** face,” one of the men yelled toward Stonebarger. They then hit him and grabbed the camera. 

Male Victim Comments on Situation

“These guys were out for blood,” Mitchell Stonebarger later told Las Vegas’ KLAS. “It’s like they wanted to kill me.”

The Stonebarger’s left the area and turned off the camera, but the suspects continued to go after them. 

“I felt another punch, and I went down like that. As soon as I went down, I felt another punch, and my camera got yanked out of my hand. That guy took my camera, and I saw him smash it on the ground,” Stonebarger also said. “The last place I want to be is on the ground in the fetal position, getting kicked in the head.”

KLAS reported that Mitchell had swelling and bruises on his face from punches and kicks. He had a swollen eye and a nose bruise. The camera, valued at $700, was broken in the attack. 

A crowd watched it unfold but no one came to the aid of the Stonebarger’s. No one checked on them after the event. 

The Stonebarger’s said they have no plans to revisit Las Vegas in the future. 

“You hear people say, ‘Be careful outside of The Strip.’ I’m saying, be careful in The Strip,” Mitchell Stonebarger told KLAS.

Police Want Tourists to be Safe

Speaking with KVVVU, LVMPD Captain Steve Connell said that Sheriff Kevin McHill “wants the tourist corridor safe. We have pushed hard from the start of the year to make his vision happen.”

With crime continuing in the area, there will be a public safety town hall held by local officials on Thursday, Sept. 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm local time.