Five Workers Stabbed at Thunder Valley Casino Restaurant, Suspect Arrested

Five people were stabbed Wednesday evening (August 19) at a restaurant inside Northern California’s Thunder Valley Casino Resort, authorities said.

The violence erupted at around 7 p.m. at the Dos Coyotes restaurant inside the tribal casino near Lincoln, Calif., according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.

All five victims and the alleged attacker were employees of the restaurant, and no casino guests were involved, a Thunder Valley spokesperson told CBS Sacramento. Authorities said none of the injuries were considered life-threatening.

The stabbings occurred in the kitchen area of the restaurant, according to the casino.

Suspect Knew Victims

Deputies responding to the scene took a male suspect in his twenties into custody. CBS Sacramento footage showed the man apparently still wearing a kitchen apron as he was placed in the back of a sheriff’s patrol vehicle.

The suspect has not been publicly identified as of Thursday morning and it’s unclear what may have prompted the attack.

Investigators said the suspect knew all five victims.

One of the injured employees was transported to an area hospital, while the remaining four were treated at the scene by Thunder Valley Casino EMTs and CAL FIRE personnel.

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office initially alerted the public to the incident Wednesday evening, saying deputies were responding to a reported stabbing but that a suspect was already in custody and there was no active threat.

The department subsequently confirmed that five people had been stabbed and said there were no additional suspects outstanding. Detectives are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack.

Major NorCal Casino

Thunder Valley Casino Resort is owned by the United Auburn Indian Community and is located about 30 miles northeast of Sacramento.

The sprawling resort includes a casino, hotel, restaurants and the 4,500-seat Venue at Thunder Valley entertainment complex.

The casino did not indicate Wednesday night that the stabbing had caused any wider disruption to its operations.

This is a breaking story and will be updated as more information becomes available.