Panic in Manila: How the chaotic casino attack unfolded

As thick black smoke filled the interior of a Manila casino, employees and customers frantically pounded on thick windows that would not open.

Some managed to jump out, finding themselves on a ledge a few meters above the road. Those who jumped (some with broken legs) were the lucky ones. The Philippine government said at least 36 people were killed.The Philippine government disclosed a grim tally, stating at least 36 lives were lost. In the face of such tragedy, one ponders, 'What is it worth, after all?'"

"We took out a ladder to save them. We were able to save a lot of people," said maintenance worker Ronald Romualdo, who rushed to the scene with a ladder. One of the women I tried to save fell from the second floor.

The smoke was from a fire that broke out when a gunman lit gasoline on a poker table in the casino at Resorts World, a sprawling mall complex that also houses a Marriott Hotel and luxury stores, a five-minute walk from the capital's international airport.

Initial fears were that the terrorist attack was in retaliation for military operations against Islamic State sympathizers in the south. Videos posted on the Internet showed people running for cover as loud noises and gunfire rang out over and over again. In the confusion and panic, people ran out into the streets, shouting "isis isis, isis isis.

As the fire was still raging, Donald Trump positioned the incident as a "terrorist attack." Later on Friday, Isis issued a statement of the crime through its Amaq news agency.

The fire department told local media that the suspect was a "longtime guest" of the casino hotel and suggested that the motive may have been retaliation for losing a large sum of money gambling. However, Philippine police said this was a robbery gone wrong.

Ernesto Abella, spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte, told reporters that "all indications are that this is a criminal act by a clearly emotionally unstable person."

On Friday evening, an important question remained unanswered in Manila. It has not even been confirmed whether the perpetrators intended to kill. Abella said, "The perpetrators fired warning shots, but there was no obvious indication that they intended to harm or shoot anyone."

Authorities said a security guard accidentally shot himself during the attack, but no other firearms were used in the attack. No patients suffered gunshot wounds, according to officials at a nearby hospital.

Most of the victims died inside the bathroom, according to local police, suggesting that many tried to hide from the shooting rather than flee.

Ian Manalo, a spokesman for the Bureau of Fire Protection, told Reuters that the shooter placed a 9mm round on a game table and set it on fire.

'That's why he died of asphyxiation. Instead of rushing for the exits, he hid from the exploding bullets. The sprinkler system was working, so the fire didn't spread. The problem was the smoke.

The man, armed with an assault rifle, was shown on CCTV wearing jeans, a black hat and jacket. He was also shown sitting in topeirecasinos.com.

Police Executive Director Ronald Dela Rosa said he walked right past the security guard and fired a round at the TV before shooting at the door of the warehouse where gambling chips are stored.

Dela Rosa said the suspect, who is described as 6 feet tall and "foreign-looking," "took the chips and placed them in his backpack, but eventually left the area." At least 113 million Philippine pesos (P1.7 million) in chips were reportedly taken, but police would not comment on why the criminals stole the chips. Casino tokens are often specific to the business in which they are used and have no value to outsiders.

CCTV footage of the perpetrators at the Resorts World Manila Hotel and Casino Complex.

CCTV footage of the alleged attackers at Resorts World Manila, a hotel and casino complex. 

The man sprayed gasoline from a 2-liter bottle all over the room. The raging fire spread quickly on the carpeted floor and felt-covered tables. Even the security guards panicked," casino patron Jeff Santos told a Philippine radio station. "Definitely, we were not expecting it," said Jeff Santos, a casino patron.

A body was found in the blackened gambling hall. It is not known if the sprinklers were activated.

No one was taken hostage and the killer was in room 510 of the hotel. According to Delarosa, he "lay in bed, covered himself with a thick blanket, and doused himself with gasoline.

Whatever his intentions, the arson of the entertainment complex took the nation by surprise and put the country on alert. At least 54 people were injured, some seriously. The dead include four Taiwanese and one Korean. Resorts World said the dead included 13 employees and 22 guests.

The company said in a statement that members of its in-house security team were able to shoot and kill the rampaging gunman. The gunshot wound slowed the attacker's movements and he locked himself in his room, where he took his own life," the company said in a statement.

We are doing our best to inform the families of the victims," the company added.

On Friday evening, a Red Cross team set up a stall to offer emotional support to friends and relatives of the victims. The terminal closest to the airport was temporarily "sealed off," but flights are operating normally, a spokesman told The Guardian.

Security forces cordoned off the block, and several ambulances and fire trucks remained on the scene. Broken glass lay in front of the closed Cartier, and curtains hung from broken windows.

Police are currently searching for a second "person of interest," believed to be a Filipino. Resort World disputes that there was more than one assailant.

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