MANILA: Police identify lone gunman who killed 36 people in Casino attack

The police in the Philippines have identified the lone gunman who attacked a Casino in Manila killing no less than 36 people and wounded several other funseekers at the venue.

The lone gunman who was caught on the Casino’s CCTV firing shots at the ceiling and setting gaming tables ablaze in Friday’s deadly attack has been identified as Jessie Carlos Javier, a 42-year old Filipino.

“We have finally established the identity of the perpetrator,” Oscar Albayalde, chief of the capital’s police office, told a media briefing on Sunday.

“He is heavily indebted due to being hooked on casino gambling, according to his immediate family,” Abayalde said, reiterating the attack was not a terrorist act.

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Police say there was no political motive behind attack but the 42-year-old father of three and former finance department employee owed several people more than $80,000.

“He is heavily indebted due to being hooked on casino gambling, according to his immediate family,” Albayalde told a media briefing on Sunday, reiterating the attack was not “an act of terrorism”.

A previous statement by Albayalde, hours after the attack was over, had said that the suspect was likely to be a foreigner.

“He looks Caucasian, he talks English, he’s big and he’s white, so he’s probably a foreigner,” Albayalde told reporters on Saturday. “It’s either he lost in the casino and wanted to recoup his losses or he went totally nuts.”

 

 

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