Investigators said officers from several agencies worked with Bally’s security staff to identify a Providence suspect.
LINCOLN, R.I. — A reported stabbing at Bally’s Twin River Casino late Tuesday set off a multijurisdictional investigation that ended with the arrest of a Providence man, as police worked with state troopers, city officers, and casino surveillance staff to piece together what happened.
Lincoln police said the suspect, William Pona, 27, was taken into custody after officers responded to the casino around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. By the time police got there, the wounded man had already been transported to a hospital, leaving investigators to rebuild the encounter through video, witness accounts, and coordination with agencies outside Lincoln. The public details released so far remain limited, but the case has already moved from an emergency response into the court system, where Pona faces felony assault or battery and disorderly conduct charges.
What police emphasized most in the hours after the arrest was the speed and breadth of the response. The department said the case “quickly became a multijurisdictional effort,” with assistance from the Rhode Island State Police, Providence police, and Bally’s Twin River Casino security and surveillance teams. That wording suggested investigators were dealing with a moving target: a victim who was no longer on scene, a suspect who had to be identified quickly, and key evidence likely spread across camera feeds and witness observations. Officers were able to identify Pona and take him into custody at the scene, according to police. Even so, authorities did not release a narrative describing the confrontation itself, and they have not said whether the stabbing happened on the casino floor, in a nearby hallway, or elsewhere on the property.
The victim’s identity and condition also remained mostly undisclosed. Police said only that he was later located and confirmed to be receiving medical treatment. That left open several important questions: how serious the injuries were, whether the victim and suspect knew each other, and whether anyone inside the casino saw the attack unfold from start to finish. Local court information reported after the arrest showed that Pona was arraigned in Kent County District Court, held on surety bond, and ordered to have no contact with the victim. Those steps moved the case into a more formal stage, but they did not answer the larger factual questions that usually shape assault cases, including motive, the role of any weapon recovery, and whether additional witnesses or video evidence might change the charge list.
The location adds another layer of public interest. Bally’s Twin River is one of the state’s most visible entertainment venues, drawing a steady stream of visitors from around Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts. Incidents at a casino can demand a different investigative rhythm than crimes at private homes or smaller businesses because the setting includes parking areas, entrances, surveillance systems, private security, and large numbers of people who may enter and leave within minutes. In this case, police publicly credited casino security and surveillance teams, indicating those systems played an important role in the early investigation. The department’s statement also underscored how often modern criminal inquiries depend on shared information across agencies rather than the work of a single department acting alone.
For now, detectives appear to be working through the same core tasks that follow many violent crime investigations: securing video, interviewing witnesses, documenting injuries, tracing movements before and after the reported attack, and organizing evidence for prosecutors. Authorities have not said whether they expect more charges or whether any other person could face scrutiny. They also have not released details about the alleged weapon or said whether the victim was treated and released or remained hospitalized. Those gaps matter because they will shape how the public understands both the seriousness of the injuries and the legal path ahead. Until investigators provide more detail, the official account remains a skeletal one centered on time, place, arrest, and initial charges.
The scene itself was over quickly in public view, but the investigation will likely continue well beyond the first arrest. Detectives still have to turn a brief overnight response into a full chronology supported by evidence that can hold up in court. That means matching camera footage to witness statements, resolving any differences in the timeline, and clarifying exactly where the violence began and ended. Public updates may come slowly as those pieces are checked and rechecked. For now, the strongest confirmed facts are that a man was stabbed, another man was arrested, and the case prompted an unusually broad response for a single assault call in Lincoln.
As of the latest reports, Pona had appeared in court, the victim was under medical care, and Lincoln police said the investigation remained active. The next clear development will likely come from a court hearing or an updated police release with more detail about the victim’s injuries and the events leading up to the stabbing.
Author note: Last updated March 6, 2026.