Four gunmen robbed Barona Casino early Wednesday, firing off several shots in the process, but no one was hurt and the loot was recovered after being abandoned by the robbers, authorities said.
The men wore black clothing and carried handguns and rifles when they robbed the East County gaming facility about 2:20 a.m., said San Diego County sheriff's Lt. Hank Turner. They fled in a black SUV with a small amount of cash, he said.
The getaway vehicle was found abandoned a couple miles away on Wildcat Canyon Road a short time later, Turner said, adding that the loot was inside the SUV. Authorities could not immediately say why the vehicle and the money were abandoned.
Vehicle checkpoints were set up on the north and south ends of the Barona Indian Reservation in the hopes of catching the men, Turner said. The checkpoints were at Wildcat Canyon Road and San Vicente Road in Ramona, and at Wildcat Canyon Road and Road in Lakeside.
As of 5 a.m., the checkpoints remained in place.
