LAPD: Men with rifles kill security guard at underground casino in Studio City

Two men armed with rifles barged into an underground casino in Studio City and killed a security guard before fleeing without any money, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Anthony Rivas, 32, was working at the casino in the 3300 block of Cahuenga Boulevard at around 3:40 a.m. on Wednesday, when the men, who were both wearing ski masks, entered through the back of the building, LAPD said in a statement.

When Rivas confronted them, he took a handgun from a holster on his waist. That's when one of the men pointed his rifle at Rivas and shot him multiple times.

The men searched the building, but didn't find any money. They both ran back out the rear entrance and fled the area.

When Los Angeles firefighters got to the location after a call about a shooting victim, they found Rivas and pronounced him dead.

The coroner's office identified Rivas on Thursday.

This is not the first time violence has come to one of the San Fernando Valley's increasing number of illegal casinos. LAPD undercover officers and SWAT teams have targeted dozens of casinos going back to 2018.

Dectectives in LAPD's Valley Division have seen a handful of shootings and killings tied back to casinos they found operating nearby.

Often run by gangs, the casinos in the past have been magnets for petty thefts and more violent crimes like assaults and robberies.

Police described the Studio City casino where the shooting occurred only as an “illegal gambling establishment.”

According to footage from KTLA Channel 5, the location was beneath a hookah lounge adjacent to a small theater.

Police did not say who they believed was running the casino.