Two men robbed a small Sioux Falls, S.D. gaming venue early Saturday. It was identified as Paradise Casino.
Local police revealed the two masked bandits entered the casino, pulled a handgun on an employee and demanded money. The duo then fled the casino with an unknown amount of money. No one was injured.
To conceal their identity, they wore bandanas over their faces, KELO, a local TV station, reported. They had not been arrested as of Monday.
Prior South Dakota Heists
Last November, a Happy Jacks Casino was held up in Sioux Falls. On Nov. 3, a man went into the gaming venue and handed a threatening note to an employee, KELO said. The bandit then fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. No firearm was shown.
In December 2020, an unidentified man robbed an unnamed Sioux Falls gaming venue as he brandished a handgun, reported KSFY, a local TV station. He had grabbed an employee’s arm and then scooped up the money.
He then ran off with an unspecified amount of cash. About a half dozen people were in the casino at the time of the robbery.
That same month, Sioux Falls police responded to two other armed robberies at local casinos. One robbery took place at Aces Casino. Another robbery took place about the same time at the Crown Casino.
One masked bandit, who was holding a firearm, confronted an Aces casino employee and demanded money from a cash drawer. A second robber stood guard. Before any money was swiped or injuries took place, the worker was able to escape to a nearby room. He locked the door.
At Crown Casino, a similar robbery took place. One robber demanded money, and the other man stood guard. In that case, workers gave the bandits money before the duo fled.
Assault with Machete
In November 2020, a convenience store employee in Sioux Falls escaped injury after a man entered the store with a machete and lingered in the location, identified as a Food-N-Fuel, police said. The store also housed gaming machines.
Police identified him as LaShawn King Owens, 45, of Sioux Falls.
He was charged with aggravated assault, carrying a concealed weapon, and failure to vacate, the Argus Leader, a Sioux Falls newspaper, reported. It was unclear what happened to the charges against him in court.
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