A 26-year-old man set off a sprinkler system at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas hotel on Sunday using what appeared to be a flamethrower, police said. The suspect, Gavin Hamilton, was quickly apprehended and booked on Monday for assault with a deadly weapon, arson, and drug possession charges, according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS.
The bizarre incident unfolded when Hamilton and hotel maintenance workers confronted each other in a hotel stairway. As one worker approached, Hamilton allegedly activated the sprinkler system with the flamethrower, which he had crafted from bongs and a methamphetamine pipe along with butane. Hamilton reportedly lit an unspecified liquid substance and directed it through a three-foot-long hose at the employees, carrying the entire contraption in his backpack.
Fontainebleau Las Vegas staff promptly notified Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers, who responded quickly. After his arrest, Hamilton was found covered in an oily-type liquid, had numerous tattoos, and told authorities that he believed he was fleeing from two individuals in the stairwell.
According to the LVMPD, Hamilton claimed he activated the sprinklers in an attempt to open a locked stairwell door. However, the door did not unlock, and the reasoning behind his need to leave the stairwell remains unclear. The incident prompted a “counterterrorism”-type response from the LVMPD, though details on the number of police units or the specific involvement of anti-terrorism or SWAT teams were not disclosed.
Hamilton’s situation grew more complicated when he failed to appear in Las Vegas Justice Court earlier this week. As of Wednesday, he remained in the Clark County Detention Center. No explanation was given for his absence in court. Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Amy Ferriera set his bail at $34,000. If convicted on the charges, Hamilton could face a prison sentence.
The Fontainebleau Las Vegas, located on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip, hosted Hamilton as a registered guest at the time of the incident. Despite the chaos, it appears no one was injured.
