MANCHESTER, NH – Dick Anagnost, the owner of Filotimo Restaurant & Casino and DraftKings Sportsbook in Manchester, is working with the Manchester Police Department and contractors to improve security outside the building at 1270 South Willow Street.
The move follows a shooting in the parking lot Monday night that left one man with life-threatening injuries and an altercation in February where a man pointed a gun at another man and told them to get in their car or else they’ll “pop” them.
The shooting took place just north of Draft Kings. The victim was transported to Elliot Hospital after police responded to the scene at about 9:15 p.m.
Manchester Police Spokesperson Heather Hamel said Anagnost has been very cooperative with police and wants more police details.
“There have been police details there in the past, but it is not a regular schedule. The Chief is taking steps to make it more consistent,” Hamel said.
Anagnost said he usually hires police details for the interior of the charitable gaming businesses on the busiest days, usually on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Though, occasionally, they don’t have coverage due to manpower constraints, he said.
Moving forward, Anagnost said they intend to have one officer inside the building and a second additional officer outside the building.
“What the chief and I talked about stepping up was the details to protect the parking lot, not the details to protect the casino itself,” Anagnost said.
He said the inside not only has an occasional detail officer, but also in-house security and surveillance equipment.
As part of ongoing renovations to the building, Anagnost said they will also be adding more security cameras to watch the parking lot.
While the victim in the alleged criminal threatening incident on Feb. 23 was a patron of the Draft Kings, neither that incident nor the shooting this week seems to have anything to do with the business, according to Anagnost.
Both cases appear to be personal in nature, between the individuals involved. Anagnost says they also have issues in the parking lot related to people using it as a cut-through to back roads and its proximity to the Interstate 293 exit.
Police say the shooting incident is still under investigation. Anagnost couldn’t add much except to say that he understood the incident to involve a “preexisting condition” and “substances.”
“We are really grateful for the Manchester Police department because their response has been incredibly quick and professional,” Anagnost said. “I can’t give them enough accolades for the way they’re assisting us.”
As a result of the investigation into the threatening incident, police arrested Samuel Paulino, 22, of Manchester on March 12 and charged him with felony criminal threatening with a firearm.
Paulino was with a group of people on Feb. 23, according to an arrest warrant affidavit, and pointed a gun at a male Draft Kings customer, who is known to him, as the customer was exiting the business. Police say Paulino told the customer to “get in the car or I’m going to pop you,” according to the court complaint.
The patron refused and went back inside. Later in the afternoon the group came inside and started a fight with the alleged victim. The group then left in two cars.
The alleged victim recognized Paulino, saying he has known him since middle school, and told police the altercation was over his former girlfriend who was dating another man in the group.
Police have not yet named the individuals involved in Monday night’s shooting.
Anagnost said the charitable gaming business began 25 years ago as Manchester Poker Room and, after renovations last year, the business reopened under a new name in September with the Draft Kings sportsbook, renovated poker room, Filotimo Greek restaurant, Southside Tavern restaurant and bingo hall.
After a number of tenants left the building, Anagnost said they have moved into the full space. As part of the $1 million renovation, they expanded the kitchen, added a bar, expanded both restaurants and casino operations. The southerly portion is still being renovated.
Anagnost said they currently employ 100 people at that location. His son, Alexander Anagnost, is the licensed operator employer for the charitable gaming operation and Tony Bantis is the sportsbook operator.
