AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police arrested three people in connection with a string of armed robberies around Austin last week, according to an arrest affidavit.
Jakobi Holland, 26, and Awss Ibrahim, 18, and Zoe Wheeler, 20, face charges of aggravated robbery following multiple police reports that claimed two men attempted to rob several victims while brandishing a gun, the affidavit says.
The affidavit reports four victims went to police with similar stories on Tuesday morning, Feb. 18.
One victim told police he was walking to class near the University of Texas at Austin campus in the 1000 block of West 24th Street. The victim was listening to music when he noticed a black car near a parking garage entrance. The victim turned around when he felt someone following him. A man reportedly began tugging at the victim’s backpack and told him to give up his backpack, the affidavit says.
When the victim asked the man why, he noticed the suspect was pointing a handgun at his stomach. The victim told police he didn’t believe the man would shoot him because there were a lot of people around, but he was scared, according to the affidavit.
The victim saw the man get back into the passenger seat of the black car. As the victim walked away, he saw two men in the vehicle pointing handguns at him, the affidavit says. The victim ran to a nearby grocery store to call police.
A second victim told police two men in a black car approached him in the West Campus area near UT Tuesday morning. The affidavit says the victim saw a black or gray car pull up next to him and ask for directions to campus. As the victim began to give directions, the two men pulled out handguns and told him to drop his wallet on the ground. The victim became fearful and listened to the man’s demands, according to the affidavit. The driver picked up the wallet and drove away.
Later Tuesday morning, another victim reported to police that two men pulled up in a black car while he walking on Exposition Boulevard near O’Henry Middle School, the affidavit says. The driver told the victim to “give him everything.”
The victim told police he gave the two men his cell phone and they drove away in a black car.
Police responded to another report of a robbery involving two men in a black car in south Austin after a woman said she was robbed while walking to her house around 12 p.m. Tuesday.
The woman told police she was being dropped off in front of her house by a friend when a man in a black car pulled up behind her friend’s car. The friend told police she heard the man ask the victim “if he could help with her bag.” According to the affidavit, the victim says the man pointed a gun at her and demanded she give away her bag.
The victim told police she complied with the demand out of fear, and the man went back to the black car and reversed away from the witness’ vehicle, the affidavit says. The witness told police the car didn’t have a front license plate tag so she started following the car. The witness followed the black car out of the neighborhood and onto Menchaca Road. She told police she lost the black car as it was weaving in and out of traffic on Slaughter Lane.
The witness identified two men in the black car and told police there was possibly a woman sitting in the rear seat.
On Tuesday around 12:05 p.m., police responded to a call at 4500 South MoPac Expressway of the driver of a black car pointing a gun at another car, according to a witness report. The affidavit says the witness saw a man pointing a gun while nearly out of the vehicle. A police car got behind the black car as it exited MoPac northbound. In the affidavit, the officer noticed the car had rear damage and a broken rear window.
Once pulled over, Holland, Ibrahim and Wheeler were ordered out of the vehicle and agreed without incident, according to the affidavit.
In subsequent interviews with police, Wheeler admitted to being in the rear seat of the vehicle during several robberies and thefts, according to the affidavit. Wheeler told police she saw Ibrahim demand a backpack, wallet, cell phone and purse from several victims.
The affidavit says Holland admitted to driving the car while Ibrahim attempted to take several belongings. Holland told police he also had a handgun, but denied pulling it out or pointing it anyone.
As of Sunday night, Holland and Ibrahim are in custody at Travis County Jail. Wheeler is out of Travis County Jail on bond.
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