Jul 19, 2007 6:44 pm US/Central
Armed Men Rob Suspected Dallas Gambling Room
by Steve Pickett
DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―
There was a different kind of raid at a suspected Dallas gambling room. Thursday's raid in the 1300-block of Audelia didn't involve police, but armed robbers.
Three armed men robbed game room visitors of cash, credit cards, jewelry and even laptop computers. Inside the makeshift poker place, more that a dozen people were held up - having more than $20,000 taken from them.
One person was injured when the robbers pointed an assault-style weapon toward the ceiling and fired two rounds. A man was hit in the right shoulder by debris from those shots. His injuries are not life threatening.
For all the violence, police response and paramedic assistance found at the Northeast Dallas shopping center Thursday morning you'd think the victims would want to talk about it, but none would.
The fact that the unit, known as the 'Maverick Game Room', is near a church and daycare center wasn't a deterrent for criminals. Operators of the Richland Academy Childcare Center say they've seen trouble in the area before, but didn't realize how close it was.
"Of course, I'm very concerned, because I'm concerned about the children," owner Gracie Navarette told CBS 11 News. "Before I didn't know that there was anything wrong in there."
The investigation into the robbery continues and while Dallas police won't call the Maverick Game Room an illegal operation, but officers raided the same location three years ago.
"We want people to do things the legal way, but we're also out there to protect the citizens," said Lt. Christina Smith, Dallas Police Department. "The citizens know that they're playing at illegal places, but still we don't want them to be crime victims, whether they're playing at an illegal place or not."
A man who claimed to be a witness to the crime told CBS 11 News, on the condition on anonymity, that illegal poker is played at the Maverick Game Room.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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