Man flees casino security, drowns in moat

updated 9:36 a.m. ET April 22, 2007

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A man fleeing security drowned early Saturday after he leaped over a railing into a moat surrounding a casino, authorities said.

Police said the man, identified as Anthony D. Swopes, 21, of Kansas City, fled while being questioned about his identification at the Isle of Capri casino. A check of the card revealed an outstanding bench warrant.

Authorities were called around 12:30 a.m., and firefighters recovered Swopes about 45 minutes later. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

It was the second death of its kind at the casino in recent years. In July 2005, police said, a woman apparently jumped into the Isle of Capri moat and later died.

Moats are common fixtures at Missouri casinos. Casino gambling in the state initially was restricted to floating riverboats, but the state’s constitution was amended to allow riverboat casinos to float within manmade moats.

A spokeswoman for the Kansas City casino said the Missouri Gaming Commission was investigating.

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