Missouri man charged in hostage standoff at Argosy Casino

A man has allegedly held his girlfriend hostage, threatening to slice off her fingers and toes while barricaded inside a casino hotel room in a nine-hour standoff with police.

Bobby Jo Dennison, 44, was charged with kidnapping early Saturday after the standoff at the Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa in Riverside, Missouri ended in a 1.30am SWAT team raid.

The tense situation was initiated when Riverside police noticed a rental car in the casino parking lot that was overdue for return at the nearby Kansas City International Airport.

Cops staked out the vehicle at about 1.30pm on Friday, and when Dennison drove away in it, he allegedly fled when police tried to pull him over.

Bobby Jo Dennison, 44, was charged with kidnapping early Saturday after the standoff at the Argosy Casino in Riverside, Missouri ended in a 1.30am SWAT team raid

Before the standoff, Dennison allegedly shook a police pursuit by driving over the Missouri River behind the casino (pictured) into Kansas before returning to the casino

Before the standoff, Dennison allegedly shook a police pursuit by driving over the Missouri River behind the casino (pictured) into Kansas before returning to the casino

The pursuit was thwarted when the rental car crossed over the Missouri River just behind the casino, into Kansas and out of local police jurisdiction.

Later that day, police learned from the staff at the Argosy that Dennison was staying in room 826. 

Dennison (pictured) had multiple outstanding warrants in nearby counties

Dennison (pictured) had multiple outstanding warrants in nearby counties

A background check also revealed that he had two felony warrants for possession of a controlled substance in Wyandotte County, as well as warrants for resisting arrest and stealing out of Kansas City.

Around 4.30pm, believing Dennison had returned to the room, police approached it and knocked on the door.

One woman fled, and the door slammed shut behind her. Dennison remained inside with his girlfriend. The standoff began.

‘I have a hostage’, Dennison yelled as the police tried to enter the room, according to court records cited by the Kansas City Star. 

Dennison barricaded the door and threatened to slice off her fingers and toes, and then cut her throat, if cops didn’t give him a car to flee in, according to police. 

He was armed with two box knives and a folding knife, and claimed to have a handgun but did not, police later found. 

Police took measures to ensure the safety of others in the casino (pictured in a file photo) during the standoff, clearing out not only the eighth floor but the floors above and below

Police took measures to ensure the safety of others in the casino (pictured in a file photo) during the standoff, clearing out not only the eighth floor but the floors above and below

Local NBC affiliate reporter Tom Dempsey captured this shot of the emergency response outside the Argosy at around 11pm on Friday. The standoff dragged on for nine hours

Local NBC affiliate reporter Tom Dempsey captured this shot of the emergency response outside the Argosy at around 11pm on Friday. The standoff dragged on for nine hours

The suspect’s proposal was that he and his hostage leave the room and go to the supplied vehicle ‘under a blanket, tied together with knives and razor blades’, court records said.

‘I am done,’ cops heard the woman pleading at one point. ‘Open the door and let them in. Let me go!’

Dennison demurred, telling her she was his ticket to freedom, cops said.

Negotiations with Dennison dragged on late into the night. Police took measures to ensure the safety of others in the casino, clearing out not only the eighth floor but the floors above and below.

Finally, around 1.30am, a SWAT team composed of officers from multiple agencies stormed the room, taking Dennison into custody.

Other than an injured hand from being grabbed roughly, the female hostage was unharmed.

Dennison was charged with kidnapping in the second degree, tampering with a motor vehicle in the second degree, and resisting arrest. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison on the first two counts and four years in prison for resisting arrest.

He is being held in the Platte County Jail in lieu of a $50,000 cash bond.



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