Casino Security Boosted At Encore Boston Harbor, San Diego Pala Resort Death Probed

Posted on: August 23, 2020, 10:53h. 

Last updated on: August 24, 2020, 11:55h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

Following a couple of recent violent incidents at Encore Boston Harbor, owner Wynn Resorts has announced it is taking new measures to bolster safety.

Casino violence
Wynn Resorts has taken new measures to strengthen security at Encore Boston Harbor. (Image: CNBC)

Effective immediately the maximum number of people staying at an Encore hotel room is six, and anyone found in violation of that faces a $1,000 fine, as well as eviction from the premises, Boston.com reported. In addition, casino security will staff elevators to limit the number of riders to four and patrol the hotel hallways.

In a statement to the website, Encore Boston Harbor said it has “zero tolerance” for reckless behavior at its property in Everett, located just north of Boston.

On Thursday, Massachusetts State Police arrested a 30-year old area man for assault and battery. Officers said David E Guante was arrested across the street. He’s alleged to have fought and stabbed a 24-year-old man near the casino’s main cashier cage. The victim apparently suffered a minor injury.

That alleged attack came four days after Daryl Brown of Randolph shot a man after the two apparently had an argument in Encore’s lobby.

Through the investigation, detectives learned that Daryl Brown allegedly waited for the victim outside of the casino garage and followed him to the Sweetser Circle ramp, where multiple shots were fired from Brown’s vehicle into the victim’s vehicle,” the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

Brown, 29, has been charged with armed assault with intent to murder.

Bump in Crime

The recent surge of violence comes just a couple of months after the Massachusetts Gaming Commission released a report saying the $2.6 billion resort led to only a modest increase in crime during its first half-year of operation.

During its first six months, Encore, which opened in June 2019, was the site for 124 arrests. In addition, more than 500 were escorted out of the building. Some of those individuals received a summons to appear in court.

About 3 million people visited Encore during its first six months of operation, the MGC stated during that time

California Casino Death

While Encore is beefing up security procedures, law enforcement in Southern California is investigating a death that may have been caused by a fight at an area casino.

On Friday morning, an injured adult male was found near the intersection of State Highway 76 and Interstate 15 in Pala Mesa, located in the northern part of San Diego County, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office. He was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead at 7:50 a.m. PST.

“Upon further investigation, the deceased male was believed to have been in a fight with another male in the parking lot of the Pala Casino at about 6:30 a.m.,” the statement read.

The Pala Casino Spa and Resort is located about six miles east from where the person was found.

In the statement to media, the Sheriff’s Department noted that the information had not been “completely verified” and was being disseminated “for early information use.”