Off-Duty cop stabbed to death by homeless man on The Strip

by Brandon Summers | March 29, 2022

From the Las Vegas Review Journal (March 28, 2022): A man accused of fatally stabbing an off-duty police officer on the Las Vegas Strip over the weekend was arrested twice in the past year on the Strip in connection with acts of violence, according to police and court records.

Freddy Allen, 58, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the Saturday night attack on a pedestrian bridge at Las Vegas Boulevard South and Tropicana Avenue.

Las Vegas police said in an arrest report for Freddy Allen that he stabbed Edmonds, Washington, officer Tyler Steffins on the bridge connecting the New York-New York and the MGM Grand during a brief quarrel between Steffins and another man (Dean Cattorini) over Steffins petting some dogs on the bridge.

Dean Cattorini said Tyler Steffins approached him and his dogs on the pedestrian bridge again as Freddy Allen was standing nearby.

“Dean and Freddy were approached by Tyler Steffins who stopped to pet the dogs,” police said. “Dean asked Tyler not to be rough with them.”

Cattorini said Steffins petted the dogs aggressively again, and Steffins and Cattorini started to quarrel. Tyler Steffins then said told Cattorini to “get a job.” Freddy Allen, standing nearby with his hands behind his back, suddenly lunged at Steffins, according to police.

Cattorini said he thought Allen simply shoved Steffins, but after Allen ran away, Tyler Steffins uttered, “I think he just stabbed me.”