Hyland Harper, 40, was arrested in the Dallas area by the FBI and is awaiting extradition to Nevada on suspicion of murder and battery with use of a deadly weapon. He is accused of killing Jamaal Gaither, 48, outside the Cork and Thorn bar at 70 W. Imperial Ave. in the Arts District early on Sept. 26.
According to a Metropolitan Police Department arrest report, the two men quarreled inside the bar, with witnesses telling police the dispute appeared to be over a reserved seat. A security worker quoted Harper as saying, "I need to beat this guy. He disrespected me," before Harper was kicked out of the establishment.
Surveillance video captured at 2:49 a.m. showed Gaither exiting the bar when Harper and another man approached him. Police said the footage depicts Harper pulling a folding knife from his back pocket and stabbing Gaither once in the neck as Gaither punched Harper's acquaintance, causing Gaither to fall immediately.
As Gaither lay on the ground, police said Harper attempted to stab him a second time while the acquaintance kicked Gaither in the head. Gaither was transported to University Medical Center, where he died.
Police identified Harper after matching his scanned identification from the bar's entry system to the surveillance footage. He remains in custody in Texas pending extradition.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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