On March 9, 2021, a tragic incident occurred at the Wynn hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, resulting in the death of 31-year-old security officer Yoseph Almonte. The events unfolded when Reggie Tagget, a 42-year-old employee of the Wynn, returned to the hotel after being absent from work for several days. Tagget had been reported missing by his family four days prior, and there were concerns about his well-being and the fact that he was armed.
Tagget's absence from work triggered a
welfare check by the Wynn's security team. On the evening of March 9, Tagget drove into the Wynn employee parking garage using his employee badge, which alerted security to his presence. Security officer Yoseph Almonte was dispatched to check on Tagget's welfare. As Almonte approached Tagget's vehicle on the fifth floor of the parking garage, Tagget began shooting at him, resulting in Almonte's death from multiple gunshot wounds.
Following the shooting of Almonte, Tagget left his vehicle and subsequently shot himself. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene. The Clark County Coroner later confirmed that Almonte's cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, ruling the incident a homicide, while Tagget's cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.
Reggie Tagget, the suspect in this incident, had a history that suggested he was experiencing personal and financial difficulties. His family had reported him missing after he left his home through a window, taking his mother's car and leaving behind his cell phone. There were concerns about his mental state and the fact that he carried a firearm and had been asking his teenage daughters for money. Despite these concerns, there was no indication that he had expressed suicidal intentions.
The incident highlighted the robust security protocols in place at the Wynn, which included the use of employee badges and immediate response to welfare checks. However, it also underscored the dangers faced by security professionals. In response to this tragedy, the Wynn decided to enhance its security measures by equipping security officers with ballistic body armor, a move that was seen as a proactive step to improve safety.
Yoseph Almonte was remembered as a caring and loving individual who had served as a Marine and was an active member of his community, particularly at his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym. His friends and community came together to support his wife with burial costs, raising over $80,000 through a GoFundMe campaign. Almonte's death was deeply felt, and his memorial was scheduled to take place in Las Vegas.
There were no arrests made in this case, as both the perpetrator, Reggie Tagget, and the victim, Yoseph Almonte, died at the scene. The investigation by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department concluded that the incident was isolated and that there was no link between the security guard and the shooter beyond their employment at the Wynn.
