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Suspect in armed robbery at Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg identified

Suspect in armed robbery at Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg identified
THE WAY. WE HAVE NEW DETAILS TONIGHT ON THE TERRIFYING MOMENT. AN ARMED MAN TRIED TO ROB A CASINO OVER IN LAWRENCEBURG, INDIANA. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND THANKS FOR JOINING US TONIGHT AT 11. I’M CURTIS FULLER AND I’M LINDSAY STONE. WE NOW KNOW THE IDENTITY OF THE SUSPECT AND THE CHARGES HE’S NOW FACING. WLWT NEWS FIVE’S DAISY KERSHAW JOINS US WITH THE NEW INFORMATION AND THE TERRIFYING ACCOUNTS FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE INSIDE THE CASINO WHEN ALL THIS UNFOLDED. DAISY. CURTIS. LINDSAY, 39, YEAR-OLD. DANIEL BIRDSEYE WAS ARRESTED LAST NIGHT AFTER LEADING OFFICERS ON A MANHUNT. POLICE SAY HE TRIED TO ROB HOLLYWOOD CASINO WITH A FIREARM, AND HE’S NOW CHARGED WITH ROBBERY WHILE ARMED WITH A DEADLY WEAPON. WE COULD SEE A COMMOTION AND WE, THE SECURITY GUARDS, LIKE THEY HAVE GUNS. THERE’S A GUY RIGHT THERE, AND THEY’RE GETTING ROBBED. RHONDA SANDERSON AND HER HUSBAND WERE WITH FRIENDS AT HOLLYWOOD CASINO SATURDAY NIGHT WHEN THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED. AND EVERYBODY JUST RUNNING AND DUCKING DOWN. A SECURITY GUARD TOLD THEM THAT A MAN NOW IDENTIFIED AS DANIEL BIRDSEYE, WAS CLOSE BY AND HAD A GUN. IT WAS A STRAIGHT FEAR. I, I JUST WAS AFRAID FOR MY KIDS. I WAS THINKING ABOUT MY FAMILY, RHONDA SAYS. PEOPLE ALL AROUND THEM BEGAN FRANTICALLY SEARCHING FOR A PLACE TO HIDE, DROPPED TO THE GROUND, AND WE JUST MADE OUR WAY TO THE BATHROOM. THAT’S WHERE EVERYBODY WAS RUNNING TO. AND I SAID, WE NEED YOU NEED TO GET BEHIND THE STALL. WE NEED TO GET EVERYBODY IN HERE BEHIND THE STALLS AND SO WE ALL DID, AND WE PUT OUR FEET UP, YOU KNOW, ON THE TOILET. MINUTES LATER, RHONDA’S HUSBAND FOUND THEM AND SAID, PEOPLE WERE HEADING FOR THE EXITS. RHONDA’S FRIEND FILMING THE CHAOS AS PEOPLE MADE THEIR WAY OUT OF THE CASINO. YOU CAN SEE CROWDS SHUFFLING INTO THE STAIRWELL, ALARMS RINGING OUT ALL AROUND THEM. YOU’RE JUST LIKE LOOKING AT EVERYBODY PASSING BY BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T KNOW WHO THE SUSPECT EVEN WAS. BIRDSEYE HAD TAKEN OFF BUT WAS LATER ARRESTED AFTER POLICE FOUND HIM IN A NEARBY WOODED AREA. I WAS GLAD THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO CATCH THE GUY AND WE GOT TO SEE HIS IDENTITY. BIRDSEYE IS BEING HELD IN THE DEARBORN COUNTY JAIL. THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING. THE INDIANA GAMING COMMISSION IS THE LEAD ON THIS CASE. IN A STATEMENT FROM HOLLYWOOD CASINO, THEY TELL US THAT THEY’RE THANKFUL THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS ABLE TO PROTECT VISITORS AND STAFF, AND THAT THEY REMAIN OPEN AND OPERATING AS
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Suspect in armed robbery at Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg identified
The sheriff's office has identified a suspect after officers responded to an armed robbery at the Hollywood Casino & Hotel in Lawrenceburg Saturday.Daniel Birdseye, 39, was arrested Saturday night after leading police on a manhunt after police say he tried to rob Hollywood Casino with a firearm.Birdseye is now charged with robbery while armed with a deadly weapon and battery against a public safety official who was on the job at the time.Police say they arrived at the casino around 8 p.m.Investigators are not releasing any details about what happened inside the casino but say Birdseye took off running and was later found and arrested at a nearby nature preserve.There was a huge police presence all around the casino, with officers also posted at spots along local roads and interstates. K-9 units were out in the woods and police also enlisted the help of a drone and a helicopter to help catch the suspect.Police say they found Birdseye in a wooded area where he was taken into custody just before 10 p.m.WLWT spoke to a woman who was inside the casino, feet away from Birdseye, when the chaos began."The security guard came over and was like, look behind you. And we looked and we were right by the stage and where the cages are, where they do the transitioning of the money. We could see a commotion. It was just straight fear." witness Rhonda Sanderson said.The investigation is ongoing.The Indiana Gaming Commission is the lead on this case, in a statement from Hollywood Casino, they tell us they are thankful that law enforcement was able to protect visitors and staff members and that they remain open and operating.

The sheriff's office has identified a suspect after officers responded to an armed robbery at the Hollywood Casino & Hotel in Lawrenceburg Saturday.

Daniel Birdseye, 39, was arrested Saturday night after leading police on a manhunt after police say he tried to rob Hollywood Casino with a firearm.

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Birdseye is now charged with robbery while armed with a deadly weapon and battery against a public safety official who was on the job at the time.

Police say they arrived at the casino around 8 p.m.

Investigators are not releasing any details about what happened inside the casino but say Birdseye took off running and was later found and arrested at a nearby nature preserve.

There was a huge police presence all around the casino, with officers also posted at spots along local roads and interstates. K-9 units were out in the woods and police also enlisted the help of a drone and a helicopter to help catch the suspect.

Police say they found Birdseye in a wooded area where he was taken into custody just before 10 p.m.

WLWT spoke to a woman who was inside the casino, feet away from Birdseye, when the chaos began.

"The security guard came over and was like, look behind you. And we looked and we were right by the stage and where the cages are, where they do the transitioning of the money. We could see a commotion. It was just straight fear." witness Rhonda Sanderson said.

The investigation is ongoing.

The Indiana Gaming Commission is the lead on this case, in a statement from Hollywood Casino, they tell us they are thankful that law enforcement was able to protect visitors and staff members and that they remain open and operating.