Iowa City and University of Iowa Police continue to search for the suspect responsible for two armed robberies reported within minutes of each other near the Gaslight Village, 422 Brown St., late Tuesday night.
According to a press release from Iowa City Police, at about 11:33 p.m. Tuesday officers responded to a report of an armed person at the Gaslight Village, an historic building with small rental apartments. While en route, police learned that there were two separate calls from people reporting that they had been robbed.
As a result, multiple officers responded to the area but were unable to locate the suspect. The victims reported that a male approached them, displayed a black handgun, pointed the gun directly at them, and demanded their purses. One of the victims ran into a residence and got away from the suspect while the other gave the suspect her purse before the suspect ran away to the east along Brown Street.
Because both robberies occurred within minutes of one another at separate locations in the complex, police believe the same person committed them. An undisclosed amount of property and money was stolen during these robberies, but no injuries were reported.
The suspect is described as a thin black male, approximately 5-foot-10 to 6-foot, in his 20s or 30s, and wearing a dark blue or black hoody with white writing on it, dark pants, and dark shoes with white edges. The suspect also had a red bandana covering his face during the robbery.
Iowa City Area CrimeStoppers is offering up to a $1,000 cash reward for information leading to the arrest of this suspect. Anyone with information about this crime is urged to contact CrimeStoppers at 319-358-TIPS (8477). All calls are held in strict confidence and anonymity is guaranteed. Individuals providing information do not have to reveal their identity to collect a reward.
The UI is releasing this information in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. The Clery Act requires all colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to keep and disclose information about crime on and near their respective campuses, including timely warnings of crimes that may represent a threat to the safety of students or employees.
UI Police issued a Hawk Alert about this incident early this morning but some of the information sent via phone was incomplete. The university is looking into the matter and taking steps to address any technical or process issues. In the meantime, faculty, staff, and students are strongly encouraged to review their preferences for receiving Hawk Alerts and ensure that their contact information is accurate. More information is available at hawkalert.uiowa.edu/.
In general, UI Police recommend that faculty, staff, and students remain alert when walking around late at night and in the early morning hours, and to promptly call 911 to report any suspicious activity or crimes.