Posted on: September 22, 2022, 07:34h.
Last updated on: September 22, 2022, 07:34h.
Despite casino surveillance footage capturing their faces, two men who assaulted patrons at the venue are still on the run. The incidents took place at the Silvertime Casino in Edgware, England, and left one victim fighting for his life.
The UK’s Metropolitan Police have been trying to locate the two individuals since the attacks on July 5. One of the unidentified suspects was at the casino when he was forced to leave for unspecified reasons.
However, he came back later, this time with a buddy by his side. That was when all hell broke loose for the casino goers who were enjoying an otherwise uneventful night out.
Near-Death Experience
When the two perpetrators returned, one walked up to the victim and coldcocked him, seemingly without provocation. He hit him so hard that he required hospitalization with bleeding on the brain. Only after going through constant treatment since then has he been able to recover.
As the first assailant, who faces charges of causing “grievous bodily harm,” was busy, his cohort decided to get involved, as well. However, he wasn’t as violent. He threw a drink at another patron before assaulting him. That perp will face charges of simple battery, provided the police can find the pair.
Police don’t have a lot to go on in the case. If they know why the assault happened, they’re not talking. About the only information they have provided, in addition to a still shot from surveillance footage, is that the two might have “eastern European accents.”
Casinos Not Breeding Grounds For Violence
Repeatedly, anti-gambling pundits argue that casinos breed violence. They also make the same argument about video games. However, in both cases, science proves them wrong.
A study released this year on the link between casinos and violence shows that, in many cases, the presence of a casino can actually reduce violence. In Do Casinos Contribute to Violent Crime?, Gregory Falls and Philip Thompson found that, among other examples, aggravated assault incidents dropped in areas that host casinos.
The researchers took information from 1994 to 2010 related to crimes and casinos in Michigan. After compiling and reviewing it, they were able to determine that the state’s gaming growth hasn’t led to an increase in criminal activity.
Calls for Better Surveillance
Security in casinos and gaming shops is paramount, although many smaller venues around the world still don’t provide adequate solutions. Despite the relatively low cost of surveillance equipment, they don’t feel it’s completely necessary. Therefore, what they typically install are low-grade solutions that don’t paint a complete picture.
Facial recognition won’t help in these situations, as the quality of the footage is often so low that it isn’t possible to capture a clean image. However, incidents like these attacks become examples of why some people want widespread use of facial rec technology.
They’re also giving rise to the push for the use of mandatory IDs to enter gaming venues. This is a solution that is easy to implement, and which has gained global support. When politicians and anti-gamblers learn that an 11-year-old has access to a gambling floor, they become more than a little irritated.
