A 44-year-old man from Sturgeon Falls has been arrested following a violent robbery at the Cascades Casino in North Bay, Ont., early Thursday morning. Police responded around 12:15 a.m. on Aug. 13 after receiving reports that a lone male brandishing two weapons had entered the casino on Pinewood Park Drive. Smashed slot machine “The male attended the gaming floor and proceeded to damage property and then struck an employee several times,” police said in a news release. “The male continued to do damage to the casino by smashing a slot machine and a computer. The male then demanded money from an employee.” After being given an undisclosed amount of cash, he tried to leave the casino, but was confronted by two members of the North Bay Police Service. “The accused ran back into the building and smashed a window in order to escape,” police said. “The accused was arrested immediately by police.” He was taken to police headquarters, where a search revealed he was carrying a set of brass knuckles. “All the stolen Canadian currency was also recovered,” police said. Later Thursday, police said he has been charged with 17 offences, including robbery with violence, two counts each of assault and assault with a weapon, six counts of mischief, weapons possession, carrying a concealed weapon, causing a disturbance and failing to comply with a weapons prohibition order. The suspect is being held in custody ahead of a bail hearing.
