WASHINGTON — Police say three men are facing charges for working together to repeatedly rob a Northwest Walgreens, including the store's manager.
In a press conference Tuesday evening, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela A. Smith was joined by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crimes Task Force to announce the arrest of three men they say conspired to rob the same Walgreens store at least once a month since July 2023.
The Walgreens that was hit six times in six months is located in the 800 block of 7th Street, Northwest.
Police say during a seventh attempted armed robbery on Feb. 11, 24-year-old Kamanye Williams was arrested after he was shot by a Special Police Officer (SPO), hired through a private security company.
According to MPD, Williams had already disarmed one SPO and was trying to rob the business when a second SPO arrived and shot him. He was taken to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and subsequently arrested. Williams faces multiple charges, including armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, felony threats, kidnapping, carrying a pistol without a license, large capacity feeding device, receiving stolen property, unregistered ammunition, and unregistered firearm.
Additionally, the shooting by the SPO is being investigated by the Internal Affairs Division’s Force Investigations Team. Two guns were recovered from the Walgreens.
Police say this is not the first time Williams robbed the Walgreens at gunpoint. In the Tuesday press conference, Chief Smith explained how in every robbery Williams appeared to enter the store room and wait for employees to open a secure door. Once that door was opened, then Williams reportedly pointed a gun at the victims and demanded money from the safe. Upon getting the cash, he would run away.
Williams is accused of doing this once a month since July 2023:
- On July 18, 2023, at approximately 9:24 p.m.
- On August 2, 2023, at approximately 8:54 p.m.
- On September 2, 2023, at approximately 9:48 p.m.
- On November 10, 2023, at approximately 9:28 p.m.
- On December 4, 2023, at approximately 7:48 p.m.
- On January 9, 2024, at approximately 8:07 p.m.
While investigating, detectives and agents connected the armed robberies to the store's manager, 33-year-old Michael Robinson, and his nephew, 26-year-old Gianni Robinson. Both have since been arrested and charged with conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery.
Smith says before and after the robberies, Williams called Michael and Gianni Robinson. Additionally, video evidence appears to show Williams and Gianni together before the January robbery.
While executing search warrants, Smith says officers found four firearms, multiple magazines and a bulletproof vest from the scenes of Michael and Gianni's arrests.
"We've dismantled a conspiracy that invoked fear in the community and repeatedly took away the community's sense of safety," said Smith during the press conference. "It's another example of a small group of suspects returning over and over to target the same area."
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