What to Know
- A security manager at a popular NY casino and hotel found a semiautomatic rifle on the floor of a room when he went to check out a dog bark
- He called the cops; the owner of the gun, Raymond Hansen, returned as officers were there and was taken into custody
- A preliminary investigation indicates Hansen did not intend to use the weapon to cause harm, authorities say; it's not clear why he had it
A 25-year-old Long Island man has been arrested after a barking dog led authorities to a semiautomatic rifle on the floor of a hotel room of a popular Long Island casino, officials said Friday.
Cops say the security manager at Jake's 58 Casino and Hotel found the AR-15 rifle after he went to investigate the sound of a dog barking in a room where Raymond Hansen, of East Patchogue, was staying. He entered the room, which was unoccupied at the time, and saw the gun on the floor.
The security manager immediately called police after the discovery around 8:15 p.m. Thursday. Cops say Hansen, the owner of the gun, returned to the room while officers were at the scene.
The Suffolk County district attorney said Friday it appeared he brought the rifle into the hotel under his jacket. It's not clear why it was in the room, but a preliminary investigation indicates Hansen did not intend to use the weapon to cause harm, police said.
Casino operations never stopped, and it appears customers weren't told about what was happening. In a statement, a spokesman for Jake's 58's parent company said, "We determined it was appropriate for the casino and hotel to continue to operate."
Hansen has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon. He faced a judge Friday afternoon but his lawyer refused to comment, and no one would comment at his East Patchogue home.
