Authorities in Oakland, California, have connected 18 recent gunfire incidents to a rising conflict among competing illegal gambling entities in the area, according to The Mercury News. 

A minimum of four alleged gambling houses, or “slaphouses,” have been attacked by opposing shooters. According to court documents, five individuals sustained injuries in the shootings, among them a woman thought to be involved in the daily operations of one of the illicit gambling networks. 

The increase in hostilities led Oakland police to carry out a series of raids on multiple locations in early March, revealing illegal slot machines, guns, methamphetamine, and financial documents linked to the gambling operations. 

‘Weezy’ Detained 

Included in the arrests was 33-year-old Wai “Weezy” Hoang, known to law enforcement for his connections to the underground gambling scene in Oakland. Prosecutors allege that Hoang is thought to have managed a minimum of two gambling establishments in the city. 

His apprehension occurs only a year after he and two co-defendants took plea agreements in a violent 2022 attack on a customer inside an unlawful gambling establishment. 

Initially accused of torture, Hoang and his co-defendants eventually pleaded guilty to assault and were given two-year sentences, which they could serve under house arrest. 

The victim endured severe injuries, featuring considerable blood loss, after being undressed and assaulted within one of Hoang’s slaphouses. 

The venue's security camera recorded the attack, which was subsequently acquired by the police. Court records indicated that the assailants were crushing the victim’s head for six minutes. 

Slaphouse Phenomenon

“Slaphouses” are named after the button-bashing sound made by customers when playing on illegal machines. They are a growing phenomenon in California and elsewhere.

Typically emerging in regions experiencing a decline in retail, they frequently resemble empty shop fronts and occasionally retain the signage of the former business tenant. A “mobile slaphouse” located within an RV was part of one of the police raids in March Oakland. 

Hoang has faced numerous arrests for charges involving drugs, violence, weapons, and unlawful gambling. This includes a July 2021 operation at a location associated with Hoang that revealed eight guns, 30 large-capacity magazines, a bullet-resistant vest, 18 gaming devices, and $21,000 in cash. 

He is detained at Santa Rita Jail with no bail allowed. His initial court appearance was set for Tuesday morning.