SCHENECTADY — In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Schenectady law enforcement apprehended a 19-year-old from Amsterdam, who is suspected of making a fraudulent bomb threat to Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady.
The suspect, Shenel Rexha, was taken into custody and slapped with a felony charge of second-degree false reporting of an incident. The arrest was made possible through the combined efforts of Schenectady police and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
At around 2:08 a.m. on Tuesday, police were alerted to the bomb threat made to the casino staff. This prompted an immediate response.
The casino’s gaming floor and The Landing Hotel were swiftly evacuated. Police then brought in explosive-detecting dogs to thoroughly search the premises.
By 4 a.m., the site was declared safe and guests were allowed to return to the property, according to the police.
In a statement, the Schenectady Police Department expressed gratitude to the security staff at Rivers Casino and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department for their invaluable assistance during the incident. They further assured that the casino and all related properties are operating normally and no credible threat was found during the investigation.
Following a detailed investigation into the source of the bomb threat, Schenectady detectives were able to identify the suspect who allegedly made the false threat.
Agree with actions taken by authorities.
Agree with authorities’ swift response.