When the off-duty police officer approached the irate customer, he stabbed the officer in the face.
A Miami police officer was stabbed in an incident at the Magic City Casino in Miami late Thursday night. The officer was stabbed in the face during a confrontation with a casino patron. The same officer discharged his firearm in the ensuing melee.
Magic City Casino management had asked for the police to escort a belligerent customer off the premises. Off-duty police officer, Officer Raul Perez, was providing security at the casino at the time. He responded to the incident, but the irate customer attacked Off. Perez.
One Witness’s Account
Ben Kennedy of Local 10 News spoke with witnesses to the incident. George Davila, a bystander to the incident, said of the out-of-control gambler, “He pretty much lashed out at the police officer. I heard someone yell, ‘knife,’ and then a shot went off. The officer had no choice (but to shoot). The officer was bleeding on his face.”
“The officer had gotten cut.”
Police Group Supports Officer Perez
Javier Ortiz, President of the Miami Fraternal Order of Police, said, “The officer discharged his firearm to protect himself as well as to protect the public. I want to thank the Magic City Casino, who immediately rendered aid and acted with complete professionalism.”
Off. Ortiz did not spare words in his assessment of the situation. Ortiz said the casino patron was aggressive and confrontational. While police have been under scrutiny nationwide for cases in which they shoot civilians, Ortiz said this was one of those cases which certainly warranted the use of force.
Javier Ortiz said the man was threatening the life of Off. Perez and other people in the casino, so the Perez had to shoot. Or to put in the word of Ortiz: “He stabbed a police officer in the face. Whether he makes it or not, that’s his problem. That guy’s a dirt bag.”
Assailant Was Hospitalized
The man who stabbed Raul Perez remains in the hospital in critical condition. If he survives, the assailant faces several charges, including a possible attempted murder rap. It is illegal to carry weapons into a casino, both in Miami and most other gaming establishments in the United States.
Miami Police Chief Rodolfo Llanes was a bit more diplomatic in his assessment of the situation. Llanes said”, “It’s a vibrant business in this community and we support it, and, you know, they do take precautions by hiring police officers, so this is just one of those things that happens. It’s unfortunate for the officer and it’s unfortunate for the subject.”
Izzy Havenick on the Casino’s Safety
Izzy Havenick, an employee of the Magic City Casino, was concerned potential patrons would get the wrong idea about the Magic City Casino. Havenick said, “The safety of our patrons is paramount. This was a very isolated incident. The on-site presence and expertise of city of Miami police officers at the casino has allowed us to maintain an outstanding safety and security record.”
“Magic City Casino is proud of their long-standing relationship with the city of Miami Police Department and wishes Officer Perez a speedy recovery.”
Mr. Havenick’s concerns about public perception might seem crass, but to draw gamblers to an establishment, casinos need to convince their patrons they are entering a safe and fair environment. Shootings and stabbings hurt business. That’s why the Chukchansi casino in California was closed down for more than a year after an armed standoff ensued at the establishment.
Magic City Casino would not face a similar fate in this situation, but the casino is in an ethnically Hispanic part of the city, so Izzy Havenick likely is concerned the stabbing could reinforce assumptions by local gamblers about entering an ethnically-diverse neighborhood. businesses of all sorts need to convince customers they are secure. Having a knife-wielding customer sends the wrong message to the community. For instance, the Miami Herald ran a headline that said, “Magic City Goes Wild West”, which is certainly not the image the casino’s managers want to portray.
Later Update
Raul Perez, the officer stabbed in the incident, was treated at and released from Jackson Memorial Hospital. No word has yet arrived on the status of the assailant in the case.
