Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office press release:

On Saturday, November 17, 2018 at about 07:30 a.m. Humboldt County Sheriff Deputies responded to the gas station at the Blue Lake Casino for a report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, deputies learned that a white male adult entered the gas station armed with a firearm and demanded the money in the cash register. The male subject left the gas station with undisclosed amount of money and attempted to carjack a customer outside the gas station.

The male subject was contacted in that vehicle by Blue Lake Casino Security and brandished the firearm in their direction. He subsequently fled the area on foot and later carjacked a vehicle from the same area. Evidence was collected at the scene and the incident is still under investigation. The identity of the suspect is being confirmed at this time.

Anyone with information for the Sheriff’s Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.

###

UPDATE, 4:37 p.m. Official statement from the Blue Lake Rancheria:

There was an armed robbery at the Play Station 777 convenience store at approximately 7:25 am this morning, Saturday 11/17/2018.

Due to calm and quick thinking by our team members, and fast, coordinated action by law enforcement, very thankfully no one was hurt.

The robbery events occurred in the convenience store, and in the fuel station parking lot. The suspect obtained some cash and items, and then fled the Play Station 777 property on foot. The suspect then evidently stole a vehicle from another person nearby, and drove away from the area by car. The suspect had a gun, and brandished it but did NOT fire it. The events in Blue Lake lasted a relatively short amount of time, about ~10 minutes.

The onsite surveillance teams at Blue Lake Rancheria were able to obtain and provide extremely clear video to law enforcement agencies.

As we understand the situation, as of approximately 2:30 pm today (11.17.2018), the suspect has been apprehended without injury by law enforcement in Del Norte County.

In over 12 years of operation, this is first armed robbery at the Play Station 777. It is unfortunately the second armed robbery of a fuel station in the last three years in the Blue Lake area, the prior robbery was at the local Patriot gas station on April 16, 2016 (https://krcrtv.com/archive/sheriffs-office- searching-for-suspect-after-armed-robbery). There have been other gas station robberies in the region recently too.

Team members are receiving counseling services and other support.

The Tribe wishes to thank all involved for their work in a tense, dangerous situation to apprehend the suspect without harm to anyone. The Tribe is especially grateful to our Play Station 777 and security team members for their heroic actions such that no one was hurt and this issue did not escalate. Thanks to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office, and all responding agencies in both Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. We are coordinating all further communications with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.