This smells - was the optometrist just placing some sports bets, or was he running a book?
I would be interested as to what the results of this investigation would be.
It's likely he was running a book (though I can't say for sure.) I haven't checked the records but I haven't heard of there being a death sentence for that.
Is there ANY indication (usually if there is, the police will come out with any info to protect their reputation, even if they have to manufacture it) that a SWAT team was needed and that guns had to be drawn, I think we would have heard of it by now.