MNPD: Man arrested for robbing Vanderbilt student, attempting to rob 89-year-old in one day
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) —Police have arrested a man who is accused of being connected to two separate robbery incidents across Nashville in a 24-hour span.
The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said Marquis Douglas, 42, tried to rob an 89-year-old woman of her purse on Park Avenue in West Nashville on Saturday, Sept. 21.
According to authorities, the 89-year-old woman said she had just walked back to her vehicle after attending the Richland Park Farmers Market when a man opened the door to her SUV and demanded her purse, displaying a pistol tucked into his waistband.
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The victim allegedly told officers that she refused to comply and told him, "Why are doing this? I'm 89 years old." Police said the area was full of people and the man walked away.
As officers were interviewing the woman at the scene, they reportedly spotted the suspect walking in Richland Park, wearing a red T-shirt, khaki shorts, white shoes, and a gray baseball cap with a red brim. Officers said they yelled at the man to stop but he took off running.
After leading officers on foot chase across Charlotte Pike toward Alabama Avenue, police said they caught up with the man—identified as Marquis Douglas.
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According to MNPD, a witness in the area saw Douglas toss a pistol in the bed of a pickup truck, which was parked next to a pizza restaurant. Officers later recovered the pistol and determined that it was stolen out of Murfreesboro.
Douglas was taken into custody and charged with attempted aggravated robbery, gun theft, gun possession in the commission of a dangerous felony and evading arrest, police said.
In addition, authorities said further investigation also connected Douglas to a robbery that occurred at approximately 6:55 a.m., which involved a 20-year-old Vanderbilt University student.
The student allegedly told Vanderbilt Police that a man approached her from behind, put a gun to her back and demanded all of her belongings. She told officers that she gave the man $70 and he took off.
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MNPD reported surveillance video showed that the clothing worn by the man matched what Douglas was wearing from the incident in West Nashville.
Douglas was charged with aggravated robbery for the case involving the Vanderbilt student. He is being held in Metro Jail on a $110,000 bond in both cases.
