Chavdar Vasilev is a journalist covering the casino and sports betting market sectors for CasinoBeats. He joined CasinoBeats in May 2025 and reports on industry-shaping stories across the US and beyond, including legislative debates, market...
Read Full BioA 26-year-old man faces a felony charge after allegedly phoning in threats to Sunset Station Hotel and Casino in Henderson, Nevada, over a memorial honoring slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The threats prompted the casino to remove the tribute, triggering a counterterrorism probe.
Authorities took Thomas “TJ” Fedikovich into custody after an alleged series of threats between September 10 and September 13.
The Incident
According to Fedikovich’s arrest report from the Henderson Police Department, Station Casinos’ security director, Anthony DiDonna, provided the Southern Nevada Counter Terrorism Center with a suspicious activity report. In it, DiDonna stated that Sunset Station had received two phone calls, prompting it to remove the memorial message “In loving memory of Charlie Kirk, 1993–2025” from their marquees.
The arrest report quotes a caller warning staff to take down the tribute. In the first phone call, the caller said that if the casino does not remove the memorial, then “we could destroy the sign and take it down for us,” according to the report.
The casino later received another call from the same number. This time, the caller mentioned the CEO: “Can you tell your boss there to take down that Charlie Kirk image on your sign? If you don’t do that, not only are we going to destroy the sign, we’re going to f— and take out your CEO too.”
Sunset Station eventually took down the memorial as a result of the calls and additional backlash it received. The suspect then called again to thank employees for listening to him.
The Arrest
Police identified the suspect by connecting the calls to an email address associated with Fedikovich. IP logs showed frequent logins at a Starbucks in Henderson within sight of the Sunset Station marquee. That’s where officers arrested him without incident, according to the report.
Fedikovich faces one felony count of coercion with physical force or immediate threat of physical force and misdemeanor harassment. Court records show that he was arraigned and released on a $6,000 surety bond. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 1 in Henderson Justice Court before Judge Sandra Allred DiGiacomo.
Background: Kirk’s Killing & Local Tributes
Kirk, a media personality and co-founder of the conservative youth advocacy group Turning Point USA, was fatally shot on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University. Authorities arrested the alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson, 22, of St. George, Utah, the following day and charged him with murder. He could face the death penalty.
Marquee tributes to Kirk appeared across multiple Station properties. They include Green Valley Ranch, Red Rock Resort, Durango Casino & Resort, Palace Station, Santa Fe Station, and Boulder Station.
Kirk’s death has resulted in a sharp division among the public. Supporters have mourned him as a champion of conservative values. Meanwhile, critics have pointed to his polarizing rhetoric, which often reflected the broader political divides he embodied.
That split has even spilled into financial speculation. Prediction markets briefly opened wagers on the risk of US civil conflict in the aftermath of his killing. However, they shut them down later.
