A police officer fired shots in a scuffle with three men outside Galaxy Macau on Thursday night, the first time in more than a decade that police have drawn a weapon in the Asian gaming hub.
The incident, which was caught on video by passers-by, occurred when the mainland Chinese tourists attacked Pubic Security Police officers after being told to stop smoking in a restricted area.
Video footage shows the group pushing and shoving one another for a number of minutes before the warning shot can be heard in the background. It is the first time police have drawn guns in Macau since 2007.
Police later told local media that officers suffered minor injuries during the incident.
Macau’s Public Prosecutions revealed on Saturday that it would fine two of the men involved, named Li and Yi, MOP$50,000 each and release them, however a third man named Liu will remain in custody while investigations continue.
He could face up to five years’ imprisonment for violating Article 311 of the Criminal Code, which covers “resistance and coercion crimes”.
It is just three days since Macau’s new smoking laws banning came into effect on 1 January 2019, banning smoking in all areas of the city’s integrated resorts other than specially approved smoking lounges. Venues found to not be enforcing the smoking law face fines of up to MOP$200,000.
Asked about the incident, a Galaxy Entertainment Group representative told Inside Asian Gaming the company “is currently cooperating with the police on its investigation into it. As the probe is ongoing, GEG has no further comment at this stage.”
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