The Latest on the Philippine casino attack (all times local) :
MANILA, Philippines (AP) – The Latest on the Philippine casino attack (all times local) : 3: 30 p.m. Relatives are rushing to funeral homes to see the remains of their loved ones who died in a fire set by a gunman who robbed a Manila casino. Authorities have said 36 people died from the smoke in the early morning attack at the Resorts World Manila. A South Korean victim died in the evacuation. And the suspected gunman was found dead in an adjacent hotel. Metropolitan Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde said the 36 bodies were found in the smoky gambling room by firefighters and all died from suffocation and smoke inhalation. None of the bodies had gunshot wounds. ___ 2 p.m. Police say a gunman stormed a crowded Manila casino and used gasoline to set gambling tables on fire, creating clouds of smoke that swept through the crowds and killed at least 36 people. They say the gunman fled with $2 million in stolen casino chips, then forced his way into a room in an adjoining hotel and killed himself. Authorities suspect the man was trying to rob the casino at the Resorts World Manila and stress they have found no evidence of terrorism. The man carried no identification but left his car, which was being searched. Claims on social media said the attack was done by “lone wolf soldiers” of the Islamic State group, but police noted the man didn’t shoot anyone he encountered. ___ This story has been corrected to show the currency conversion on the value of the stolen chips to be more than $2 million, not $200,000. Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
