ATF joins highway patrol, local law enforcement in Boonville casino armed robbery investigation
BOONVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ)
EDITOR'S NOTE: A source's name has been corrected.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined the investigation of Wednesday's armed robbery at the Isle of Capri Boonville casino as of Thursday morning.
Lt. Eric Brown of the Missouri State Highway Patrol told ABC 17 News that the ATF joined in on the investigation. Law enforcement are asking for help from anyone that may have been at the casino on Wednesday morning or shortly after the robbery on what they saw.
According to a press release from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, two suspects armed with a rifle and a handgun stole an unknown amount of money before taking off in an older Ford Taurus.
Law enforcement believes the suspects abandoned the car on Howard County Road 344, north of the casino across the Missouri River, and got into another vehicle that hasn't been identified. The suspects are still at large.
Spokesperson for the corporate company Caesar's, Kate Whiteley, said the staff at Isle of Capri Boonville is cooperating with law enforcement and deferred any specific questions about the robbery to MSHP.
"The safety and security of our guests and Team Members is our highest priority, and we are deeply grateful to MSHP and Boonville Police for their swift response and continued support," Whiteley said in an email. "We won’t have further comment at this time."
The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control is investigating the armed robbery along with ATF, the Boonville Police Department, the Cooper County Sheriff's Office and the FBI.
Sheri Andrews said she and her husband where at the casino when the robbery happened.
"It really shook me up," Andrews said. "My whole body was shaking, my heart was racing."
Andrews said the floor supervisor came out and asked people to evacuate. As she was walking toward the exit, Andrews said she saw a suspect jump over the cash counter in a ski mask and wearing all black.
While she hid behind a wall and under a table, Andrews said her husband saw both of the suspects fight off a patron who appeared to be stopping the suspects from leaving.
Andrews said her husband saw the man was injured afterward, but the mask of one of the suspects came off.
"So I'm hoping and praying that the cameras got a picture of his face, they got DNA off the mask and things like that to where they can catch these guys," Andrews said.
She said that despite the circumstances, people were calm.
"There were no screams. There was no panic. I don't think people had the time to realize because it all happened so fast," Andrews said.
