Naked, Drugged Poker Player Shot By Cop Calls it Quits in Las Vegas

There have been songs and movies about "Leaving Las Vegas," a city that can swallow you up and spit you out, with victims either vowing to never return - or perhaps promising to return someday, smarter and wiser, and with a new bankroll.

It's not yet clear which of those categories Jason Funke belongs to, but considering the circumstances, it was likely a wise move for the poker player with $92K in career earnings to get out of town. Funke made headlines back in early August when he was shot by a Las Vegas cop after acting strangely outside of a church, completely naked and in possession of a handgun.

It turns out that Funke's behavior was the result of being under the influence of LSD, alcohol, and weed, a trifecta of mind-altering substances that apparently wreaked havoc with his mind and brought out suicidal thoughts, according to an eyewitness from the church who spoke to Funke during his meltdown.

The bizarre incident came to an end when Funke failed to obey the commands of police officers who arrived on the scene, prompting a cop to shoot him in the shoulder when it appeared that Funke was heading back toward the gun that he had previously placed on the ground. Funke was the only person hurt by his actions and his pain was increased when the police charged him with indecent exposure and possession of a dangerous weapon, both gross misdemeanors.

According to the court docket, bail was set at $4,000 and Funke spent at least a couple weeks in the hospital. But by August 23, Funke had apparently had enough of Sin City and announced via Facebook that he was leaving Las Vegas and going back home to Minnesota.

His time in Vegas saw Funke top a field of 127 in the $1,100 Deep Stack Extravaganza III at the Venetian in 2016 for $35,558. And before getting shot by the cops while high on drugs on August 5, the Minnetonka native landed in the money three times at the 2017 WSOP, his best score a 490th place finish in the Main Event for $24,867.

Will he ever return to Las Vegas to play poker? Only Jason knows the answer to that. But the next court date in his case is set for January 17, 2018.

At the last court hearing on Sept. 27, Funke's lawyer told the judge that "his client is in physical rehabilitation," per the docket sheet. Sounds like some psychological rehab wouldn't be a bad idea either.