A Umatilla County man attempting an armed robbery at Wildhorse Resort & Casino opened fire last week outside the casino.
The U.S. Department of Justice for the District of Oregon last Friday announced federal charges against 51-year-old Javier Francisco Vigil for his role in the Aug. 17 shooting incident at the tribal casino. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Oregon district alleges that Vigil committed a Hobbs Act robbery when he entered the Wildhorse casino with a firearm and demanded $1 million.
According to federal prosecutors, Vigil walked into the casino early Wednesday afternoon and proceeded to the cage where he brandished a pistol and instructed the cashier to give him $1 million. Vigil allegedly told the worker that he would “bathe everyone in blood” if his demands were unmet, according to a report posted on Casino.org.
Vigil, after receiving approximately $70,000 in cash, exited as police responded to the scene. Gunfire was exchanged, with Vigil and one bystander being struck. Vigil was transported to an area hospital, where he was later arrested and subsequently charged. His family told a local news station that Vigil has struggled with his mental health for many years.
The bystander injured in the shooting was later identified as a Pendleton School District employee. That bystander’s injuries are not life-threatening, school Superintendent Kevin Headings confirmed.
Vigil has been charged with a Hobbs Act robbery and a single count of using/carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Persons found guilty of a Hobbs Act offense face up to 20 years in prison. The firearm possession charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years because Vigil fired the weapon.
