Police Arrest Suspected Shooter Minutes After Ocean Casino Attack

One 55-year-old resident of Atlantic City was arrested on Saturday by the local police, 20 minutes after he fired multiple shots into a 41-year-old patron at the Ocean Casino Resort multi-level parking lot.

Suspected Shooter Arrested Within 20 Minutes of Tip-Off

Ronald Rivers had made it two blocks away on the 100 Block of South New Hampshire Avenue when police located him and arrested him. Rivers surrendered without putting up a resistance. The swift arrest was indicative of the level of cooperation between law enforcement in the area, as well as the casinos’ own security staff and surveillance capabilities.

Officers arrived at the parking lot minutes after 9:00 pm, locating the victim, and called an ambulance as well as alerted fellow policemen in the area about the shooter’s activity. Briefly, officers were able to conduct the arrest. The suspected perpetrator had a gun that was later determined to have been stolen from South Carolina.

Since his arrest, Rivers has been charged with possession for unlawful purposes, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen weapon, and more.

A Wasted Second Chance for Rivers, Who Is Headed for Life Imprisonment

Interestingly, the man has already been sentenced to 15 years in prison due to a previous criminal prosecution against him in 2015, when he threatened a woman at gunpoint.

He was finally released in 2023, as he was deemed not to be an immediate danger to himself or others. While the victim remains in critical condition at the time of reporting, if proven guilty, Rivers would be heading back to prison, and in all likelihood serving out a life sentence.

Even if he is cleared of the shooting, the possession of a stolen weapon is already in violation of his parole, meaning that he would have to serve out his original sentence as well as any other sentences ruled by a court.

In the meantime, police have assured that this was an isolated incident and not tied to wider gun violence in the area. As to the reason behind the attack, the most likely reason is that Rivers was robbing the victim.