On Monday, the Ann Arbor Police Department announced the arrest of an Ypsilanti resident associated with three robberies that occurred near the University of Michigan campus in January and February. A fourth robbery that occurred during those months is still under investigation.
According to the media release from the AAPD, the suspect, 28-year-old Dominique Emmanuel Wilson, was charged with three counts of armed robbery by the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office. Each count is considered a felony and life sentence.
An AAPD patrol officer arrested Wilson as he left a bar on Main Street on Friday; he was arraigned on Sunday.
Early on the morning of Jan. 25, the AAPD responded to two calls of robbery near campus — one on Arch Street near Packard Road, the second near Hill Street. These were robberies that both involved a dark colored sedan and a similar handgun.
Ann Arbor Lieutenant Lyle Sartori confirmed no one was hurt, but the AAPD continued to patrol the areas following the events. There were no suspects in custody at the time and no descriptions of suspects. At the moment, he could not confirm if the robberies were connected however it is now known that Wilson was charged with both.
On Feb. 5, a student was robbed at gunpoint. The suspect demanded her backpack. He wore a red bandana. Wilson was charged with this robbery, making it his third incident.
“(I was) on East (University Avenue) and a car pulled up,” the victim said at the time. “I didn’t think anything of it just because I thought it was like a normal car parking and then a guy jumped out. He had a longer gun, like possibly a shotgun kind of thing. He was like, ‘Hold up. Don’t say anything.’ ”
Using information from the University Police Department, the Michigan State Police and the Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team, Wilson was linked to some of these crimes by forensic evidence.
“My office is grateful to the continued law enforcement cooperation between these agencies,” Detective Lieutenant Matthew Lige said in the press release.
The months of January and February saw several robberies, causing concern among students and local residents. There were, in total, five crime alerts sent out to students during this time period.
One crime alert was on an unarmed robbery occurred on the morning of Jan. 27. Six white males approached a 21-year-old Ann Arbor resident, stole his wallet and punched him before leaving. The suspects were unarmed. The man received medical treatment after being punched.
Early on the morning of Feb. 4, a University student was robbed at gunpoint south of Central Campus on Tappan and Oakland streets. This event is still under investigation.
The student told the AAPD he was approached by a man wearing a red bandana and carrying a “long gun.” The man stole the student’s wallet and phone before leaving. The victim was not injured.