Charlottesville Police have released the identity of a suspect arrested in relation to the armed robberies of two University students Monday.
Quentin Levar Grey, 18, was taken into custody early Monday morning, according to Charlottesville Police Sgt. C.R. Smith.
Grey is charged with a total of seven felonies, including two counts of armed robbery and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Grey has a previous felony conviction and was recently released from juvenile detention, Smith said. She added, however, that she could not comment on the nature of the prior conviction.
The first robbery occurred at 12:30 a.m. Monday on the 200 block of 15th Street NW, Smith said.
"A U.Va. student was walking along and he noticed that there were three males walking toward him," Smith said. "One approached him and produced a handgun and ordered him to the ground. The suspect took a wallet and cell phone."
About a half hour later, a student on the 400 block of 14th Street NW was outside talking on his cellular phone when a black male pointed a gun at him and ordered him to the ground, Smith said. The suspect also took his phone.
Smith said police have recovered the stolen property and will return the items to their owners.
Police have also recovered the handgun used in the robberies, she added.
University spokesperson Carol Wood stressed the importance of students remaining aware of their surroundings when walking alone at night. She also encouraged students to use Safe Ride and the University Transit Service.
"There are a whole host of things that students can do to protect themselves," Wood said. "Let your roommate or your friend know that you're going to be out late or walking in a certain area. Charlottesville really is a generally safe community, but you can't throw caution to the wind, so to speak, so you have to use good judgment."
Smith noted the importance of alerting police as soon as possible if a student encounters a dangerous situation.
"The second victim called the police immediately," Smith said. "Because he called immediately we were able to locate the suspects in the area and make arrests pretty much immediately. The faster they call the more quickly we can apprehend the suspects in the area and in this example it turned out perfectly."
She said waiting too long gives the perpetrators time to exit the area.
"It eliminates our opportunity to catch them close by," she said.
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