California casino stabbing leaves 5 co-workers wounded: What we know about 22-year-old suspect

Horrific scenes unfolded inside a California casino kitchen where a staffer slashed five restaurant workers, leaving bloodied victims sprawled among the slot machines as paramedics tended to their injuries. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. The stabbing incident took place at about 7 p.m. on Wednesday (August 19, 2026) inside the Dos Coyotes restaurant at Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post.

The suspect was identified as Joseph Naugle, 22. Deputies arrived within minutes and took him into custody, The New York Post reported, citing the sheriff’s office. He was reportedly still dressed in his kitchen apron when arrested. Police later released a disturbing mug shot of Naugle, a Roseville resident, who is being held in a local jail.

“At 7 p.m. this evening the Placer County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a possible stabbing at the Dos Coyotes inside Thunder Valley Casino. Deputies arrived on scene within minutes and quickly took the suspect into custody. The suspect stabbed a total of five people,” the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.


All five victims and Naugle worked at the restaurant, and no casino guests were involved, a Thunder Valley Casino spokesperson told CBS News. The stabbing incident unfolded in the restaurant’s kitchen, the spokesperson said.

“One victim was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The four other victims were treated on scene by Thunder Valley Casino EMTs and CAL FIRE. None of their injuries are life-threatening. At this point in the investigation, it appears the suspect knew all five victims. No additional suspects are outstanding. And there is no outstanding threat to the public. Detectives are on scene and continuing with the investigation,” the sheriff’s office said. None of the five victims’ injuries were considered life-threatening.

A CBS Sacramento camera captured Naugle, who appeared to still be wearing a kitchen apron, being placed into a sheriff’s vehicle. He was booked into the Placer County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder, and the sheriff’s office expects additional charges, KCRA reported. Investigators did not disclose a likely motive.

No additional suspects were being sought, and the sheriff’s office said there was no threat to the public. The casino remained open following the stabbing, its spokesperson told CBS News.