Two people were shot at Wildhorse Casino and Resort in Pendleton, Oregon, when police confronted a casino robbery suspect. According to tribal officials from Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, local law enforcement stopped a man at the door after he had tried to rob the casino.
Wildhorse sits on reservation land just outside of town. The Umatilla Tribal Police Department received a call just after 1PM and responded to the report of a robbery in progress at Wildhorse immediately following.
The confrontation resulted in gunfire, injuring both the suspect and a bystander. According to local officials, both received medical treatment at a nearby hospital, and no one else was injured during the pursuit.
Local officials added that the suspect is now in custody, and the site has since been secured.
Members from the Pendleton School District said the bystander is one of its staff.
The district said on its Facebook page: “There were some PSD staff onsite for a school event. Several members of our staff witnessed the incident, and one staff member was injured.”
The identities of the suspect and the bystander who were shot have not been disclosed at this time.
Multiple police agencies responded to the shooting. A current investigation is underway. The casino has remained open but has closed its food court until the investigation is complete.
Wildhorse Casino and Resort CEO Gary George expressed relief that the exchange resulted in minimal injuries and commended local police for a quick response.
He said in a social media post: “We are grateful no one else was physically injured with all that took place. Security personnel and tribal police were quick to act, and the situation was controlled in a swift manner.”
