While initial suspicions strongly pointed towards a terrorist attack, with affiliates of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claiming responsibility, representatives of the Philippine National Police consistently maintained that the motive was robbery.

[2] A few minutes after midnight of June 2, 2017, a gunman carrying bottled gasoline and an M4 Bushmaster rifle[8][9] entered the Resorts World Manila casino's second floor for high rollers.

[11] In the evacuated gambling floor of the casino, the gunman doused the felt linings of poker tables and cushioned slot machine chairs with petrol and ignited them with a hand-held lighter.

[12][13][14][15] Southern Police District Director Superintendent Tomas Apolinario stated that all of the bodies were found within the casino area, most of which were women located within the building's bathroom.

[16] Fifty-four were initially reported injured, including a security guard who accidentally shot himself in panic;[17][18] the final injury count was eventually raised to seventy.

[12] During preliminary investigations, Chief Superintendent Oscar Albayalde stated that the police suspected the lone assailant might have been a tall white adult male who spoke English[1] and likely set the casino tables and furniture on fire as a diversion while he committed the robbery.

[24] The footage shows the initial moment when gunfire prompted shoppers, guests, and gamblers to rush for exits and cover, the gunman dousing flammable poker tables and slot machine chairs with gasoline and igniting them, the robbery itself, the gunfight, and the suspect's retreat to the hotel room.

[26] The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the licensor of Resorts World Manila, said that it had issued a security advisory to its licensee casinos to provide additional precautionary measures in wake of recent terrorist incidents and the martial law declaration in Mindanao.

[27] Resorts World Manila security chief Armeen Gomez's credentials and educational background were scrutinized by House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas (Ilocos Norte–1st) and Representative Romeo Acop (Antipolo–2nd).

[7] Steve Cutler, chairman of the Overseas Security Advisory Council, and former United States FBI attaché to Manila, similarly sided with the suspicion that the incident was a robbery, not an act of terrorism.

[24] CCTV evidence was also provided of the crash itself, depicting Mitra's car traveling along Paco Park at approximately 10 pm, just as gunshots were heard by passerby before the car crashes and flips over;[32] an occupant emerged from the wreckage and escaped with a limp (corroborating with the taxi driver's account that the casino gunman was already limping before the shooting[24]), leaving Mitra and Cruzin behind, who were later discovered dead from gunshot wounds in the heads from behind.

[24][31] On June 22, Senior Inspector Rommel Anicete of the Manila Police District homicide division chief confirmed that the casino gunman is the only person of interest in the twin shooting case following forensic tests on the car wreck.

[33] On June 4, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) identified the lone gunman as Jessie Javier Carlos, 42, a Philippine citizen and former employee of the Department of Finance who resided in Santa Cruz, Manila.

[36] The police investigation revealed that Carlos was an avid gambler, often betting large sums of money, and cited his gambling addiction as the primary reason for his mounting personal problems and eventual motivation to rob a casino.

[2][37] Carlos had also reportedly owned the M4 rifle that he used in the attack, purportedly as a status symbol during his ownership of the fighting cock farm, and unsuccessfully attempted to sell the firearm to the barangay chairman of Darasa in Tanauan for 100,000 pesos (US$2000).

[2] The Supreme Court en banc, in a decision promulgated on April 18, 2023, reversed the October 2015 decision of the Court of Appeals that convicted Carlos of dishonesty over alleged mistakes in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth when he was still a government employee, citing the government's failure to comply with procedures under the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (Republic Act No.

Muntinlupa Representative Ruffy Biazon and Senator Joel Villanueva urged the public to remain calm to avoid spreading fear and escalating the incident into an issue of national security.

[42][43] Gabriela Women's Party Representative Emmi de Jesus expressed hope that the incident would not prompt the extension and expansion of martial law, which had already been declared in Mindanao following the Marawi crisis.

[46] The National Economic and Development Authority assured that the fundamentals of the Philippine economy would not change due to the incident, which director-general Ernesto Pernia described as an "isolated criminal case of robbery.

[50] PAGCOR suspended the operating license of Resorts World Manila on June 9, 2017, until it deems that it has rectified its "serious security lapses and deficiencies" saying that the incident put the gaming, tourism, and hospitality industries of the Philippines "in a bad light".

[51] On the same day, the Philippine National Police ordered the relief of security guards posted at the entrance and exits of the Resorts World Manila casino.

United States President Donald Trump expressed sadness over the incident, which he labeled as a terrorist attack, and added that U.S. officials "were closely monitoring the situation.

"[57] The license suspension imposed by PAGCOR was lifted on June 29, 2017, and on the same day, Resort World Manila resumed its gambling operations in gaming areas not affected by the attack.