Isle of Capri Boonville Casino Robbery: Armed Suspects at Large

• Armed suspects rob Missouri casino, flee after threatening staff and patrons
  
• Witness describes masked gunman vaulting counter as customers evacuate
  
• FBI and ATF join search after suspects escape across river

Federal authorities have joined the hunt for two men who robbed the Isle of Capri Boonville Casino in central Missouri on Wednesday afternoon.

The pair entered the casino at around 2 p.m., one armed with a rifle, the other with a handgun, according to a statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP). After threatening staff, the men stole an undisclosed amount of money before fleeing in a brown Ford Taurus.

The suspects drove north across the Missouri River before abandoning the Taurus and taking off in another vehicle that has not been identified, authorities said. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with the FBI, is assisting local law enforcement in the case.

Authorities are asking anyone who was at the casino on Wednesday morning, or who was nearby shortly after the robbery, to share information about what they might have seen.

Suspect Unmasked

One witness, Sheri Anderson, who was inside the casino when the robbery took place, told ABC 17 News that floor supervisors ordered patrons to evacuate the building. As she was leaving, she saw a man dressed all in black wearing a ski mask vault over the cash counter.

Anderson hid under a table, but said her husband saw the two suspects fighting with a patron who was trying to stop them from leaving. The patron was ultimately injured but was able to pull off one of the robbers’ masks.

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,” Anderson said.

She added that while the experience “really shook her up” most people remained calm during the robbery.

“There were no screams. There was no panic. I don’t think people had the time to realize because it all happened so fast,” Anderson said.

Brazen Daylight Heist

The Isle of Capri Boonville is a mid-sized riverboat-style casino resort located right on the Missouri River. It’s the main entertainment spot in Boonville, a small town that forms part of the Columbia metropolitan area.

A spokesperson for operator Caesars Entertainment said casino staff were cooperating with law enforcement and referred 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,” said the spokesperson, Kate Whiteley. “We won’t have further comment at this time.”