Search warrant details casino shooting that left man dead, officer wounded

A federal search warrant unsealed last Thursday says the man shot and killed by a Laguna officer at Route 66 Casino struggled with the officer and pulled a gun before he was killed.

The FBI has released minimal information regarding the shooting, which left Mario Sandoval dead. Officer Peter Tanzilli was shot during the altercation.

The search warrant, which was executed March 25 on the silver Lexus Sandoval and another man arrived in to the casino, details the events that led to the shooting.

It says the men pulled into the casino parking lot in the Lexus just before midnight March 23. The car had been reported stolen the day before, allegedly by Sandoval.

As Sandoval and the still-unidentified man approached the casino after parking, they were confronted by Tanzilli at gunpoint. The FBI released lapel video from Tanzilli just hours after the shooting showing the initial confrontation.

What the video did not show, and what is detailed in the warrant, is that when Tanzilli confronted the two – and after the unidentified man ran off – Tanzilli took Sandoval to the ground.

As Tanzilli tried to handcuff him, Sandoval allegedly turned onto his back, pulled out a gun and shot Tanzilli in the pelvis. The warrant says Tanzilli fell to the ground and returned fire, hitting Sandoval.

Sandoval was found outside the driver’s side of the stolen Lexus, which “appeared” to have bullet holes in it, according to the warrant.

The warrant search turned up Sandoval’s license, seven different cellphones, two glass pipes, a scale, a 9mm cartridge case and a bullet.