Published on: March 27, 2026, 07:37h.

Updated on: March 27, 2026, 07:37h.

• Masked attackers rob Missouri casino, threaten employees and customers
  
• Eyewitness recounts gunman leaping over counter as patrons flee
  
• Federal agencies join pursuit after suspects escape across river

Federal agents have initiated a search for two individuals involved in robbing the Isle of Capri Boonville Casino in central Missouri on Wednesday afternoon.

The men entered the casino around 2 p.m., one wielding a rifle and the other a handgun, as reported by the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP). After intimidating employees, they made off with an undisclosed sum of cash before escaping in a brown Ford Taurus.

The suspects traversed north over the Missouri River prior to abandoning the Taurus and switching to another unidentified vehicle, according to officials. Both the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI are actively collaborating with local law enforcement on this case.

Authorities are urging anyone who was at the casino that morning, or in the vicinity shortly after the robbery, to provide any information they may have observed.

Suspect Identified

Witness Sheri Anderson, who was inside the casino during the incident, told ABC 17 News that staff members instructed patrons to evacuate. As she exited, she noticed a man dressed in black with a ski mask jumping over the cash counter.

Anderson took cover under a table, but her husband witnessed two suspects struggling with a patron attempting to intervene. The patron sustained injuries but managed to remove one of the robbers’ masks.

“I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the security cameras captured his face, and they can use DNA from the mask to track them down,” Anderson expressed.

She mentioned that although the incident left her “shaken up,” most individuals remained composed during the robbery. “There were no screams or chaos. I believe it happened so quickly that people didn’t have time to react,” Anderson remarked.

Bold Daylight Robbery

The Isle of Capri Boonville is a moderately-sized riverboat casino resort situated along the Missouri River, serving as the primary entertainment venue in Boonville, a small community within the Columbia metropolitan region.

A spokesperson for Caesars Entertainment confirmed that casino personnel are fully cooperating with law enforcement and referred all inquiries regarding the robbery to MSHP.

“The safety and well-being of our guests and staff is our foremost priority, and we sincerely appreciate the swift response and ongoing support from MSHP and Boonville Police,” stated spokesperson Kate Whiteley. “We will not be providing further comments at this time.”