The deadly attack at a casino in the Philippines was carried out by a mustachioed “foreigner” who was either trying to recoup his losses — or went “totally nuts,” authorities said Friday.
At least 36 people are dead after the lone gunman burst into the upscale Resorts World Manila shortly after midnight Friday.
He squeezed off shots from an M4 assault rifle at TV screens, poured gasoline on gambling tables and set them on fire during a robbery attempt that turned into a toxic inferno.
“He looks Caucasian, he talks English, he’s big and he’s white, so he’s probably a foreigner,” Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde told reporters. “Either he lost in the casino and wanted to recoup his losses or he went totally nuts.”
Police are working to identify the gunman, who wasn’t carrying any identification on him at the time. They’re also examining his car which was left in the casino parking garage.
Officials also ruled out that the attack was related to terrorism.
“All indications point to a criminal act by an apparently emotionally disturbed individual,” Ernesto Abella, a spokesman for President Duterte, said at a news conference. “Although the perpetrator gave warning shots, there apparently was no indication that he wanted to do harm or shoot anyone.”
Police are questioning a person of interest who was in the casino at the time.
Many of the dead, which included 22 Resorts guests, died of smoke inhalation from the blaze that quickly spread because of the casino’s flammable carpet.
More than 50 others were injured as they frantically tried to escape from the gunfire, police said.
The suspect fled with more than $2 million in stolen casino chips but dumped them in a toilet soon after.
He then holed himself up in his hotel room to commit suicide after being shot by police, who launched a five-hour manhunt to find the gunman.
“He burned himself inside the hotel room 510,” national police chief Ronald dela Rosa told a news conference. “He lay down on the bed, covered himself in a thick blanket and apparently doused himself in gasoline.”
With Post Wires