What Happens in Vegas: More Now Known About Shooting on Las Vegas Strip

If Thursday's breaking-news shooting and car crash on the Las Vegas Strip proves anything, it's that CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is highly exaggerated. Events like this one--which did seem like it came from Hollywood--would barely be newsworthy if they happened as often as they do on that show. As it is, it was the number one news story on most news outlets, and trended on Twitter. Which may have--in some small way--been appreciated by the Maserati-driving aspiring rapper who met his end in front of Caesars Palace.

Image from source, Las Vegas Review-Journal

As for the "Las Vegas is dangerous" angle on the story, this kind of thing really could have happened anywhere that has happening night spots. I suppose we have more of them than most cities, but I can't see how this is the fault of Las Vegas. The news said that the driver of the Maserati made a video, rapping about girls and guns. As hard as it is for me to conflate pop culture (music, television, movies, video games) with real-life violence, this one seems to have played out enough times to show just a bit of causality. But it's really a shame it had to happen, and that innocent people have been hurt and killed. And I really hope they catch the bad guys.

[Excerpt]

Argument at Aria involving Las Vegas rapper leads to deadly Strip shooting, crash

Kenny Cherry relished a dangerous lifestyle. The 27-year-old aspiring rapper, who called himself "Kenny Clutch," posed with guns and drugs in one YouTube video. In another, Cherry drove through the Las Vegas streets at night in a two-door Maserati, rapping about pimping women and shooting guns. . .

Read more (with video) at: Las Vegas Review-Journal