The New Orleans Police Department confirmed Tuesday that a man who shot himself Saturday outside Harrah's New Orleans Casino was providing security.
"He was assigned to watch over valet parking," said Janssen Valencia, a New Orleans Police Department spokesman.
Police were informed sometime before 10 p.m. that someone had been shot outside Harrah's at 8 Canal Street.
"Ricky Matthew Jr., who works for BlackHawk Security, shot himself in the thigh," Valencia said. "The bullet entered and exited the thigh. He is in stable condition."
Matthew, 23, was hospitalized and was issued a summons, in lieu of arrest, on a charge of illegal discharge of a firearm, Valencia said.
Police viewed video captured at the scene and "observed the subject playing with his gun," Valencia said.
Sandie McNamara, Harrah's vice president for marketing, declined to comment about the relationship between the security company and the casino or say whether Matthew will continue to provide security at the casino.
"It's a police matter," she said.
Officer Garry Flot, another New Orleans Police Department spokesman, said earlier that no information was available to explain why Matthew was handling his weapon Saturday night in the valet area.
