When filmmaker Ramsey Denison went to Las Vegas for a relaxing weekend, the last thing he expected was to be arrested and beaten for reporting an incident of police brutality that he personally witnessed on the strip. What Happened in Vegas examines the lack of accountability within the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department concerning four cases where individuals were killed by the police. The Las Vegas shooting, the deadliest mass shooting in US history, also shines a light on the department's troubling tendency to lionize themselves by playing with the truth. With the help of former LVMPD officers and families of Trevon Cole, Erik Scott, Stanley Gibson, and Tashii Farmer, the documentary weaves its way through the maze of lies laid by LVMPD officials when it comes to the abuse of power especially wielded against minorities. In the shadow of this deep-seated corruption, there are still those officers who fight to improve relations with their surrounding community in order to keep the streets safe. The crux of the film follows the heated sheriff's race between Joe Lombardo and Larry Burns. The former is handpicked by his predecessor and funded by the casinos while the latter is almost overwhelmingly backed by police union leaders of other counties as well as the Nevada Attorney General. What Happened in Vegas not only takes an unflinching look at one of the most corrupt police departments in the country, but also explores the officers who are working to bring about change by becoming one with the communities they're sworn to serve.
"What Happened in Vegas blows the whistle on a disturbing pattern of excessive force and corruption within [local police] ranks."
Los Angeles Times
"A damning portrait...Ramsey Denison's doc uses a chance eyewitness encounter as a springboard for a condemnation of Sin City policing...Effective."
The Hollywood Reporter
"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Hard-hitting documentary takes a close look at the bright lights of Las Vegas and introduces viewers to four individuals and the events surrounding their deaths at the hands of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department...Director Denison pulls no punches [and] humanizes each individual by intrinsically emphasizing the arrest tactics and the bad decisions made during that action. T
