The Walgreens in D.C.’s Chinatown neighborhood has been robbed at gunpoint seven times since July of last year. Police said the same person committed each of the armed robberies, and are now announcing he had help from inside the store.
Michael Robinson, 33, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, worked as a manager at the Walgreens during the string of robberies and has been charged with conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery. His nephew, 26-year-old D.C. resident Gianni Robinson, faces the same charge.
At a press conference Tuesday, D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said the conspiracy case “invoked fear in the community.”
According to D.C. police and the FBI, 24-year-old D.C. resident Kamanye Williams entered the store at least seven times between July and February, taking money from the safe in the manager’s office at gunpoint each time.
Since July, Chief Smith said police have been working with the FBI on the robberies that targeted the store.
Police said during the most recent robbery on Sunday Williams was shot by a special police officer. Williams was critically injured and remains in a local hospital at this time.
In at least one instance, the robber is captured on surveillance video looking at a phone while punching in the code to the locked manager’s office. In that same robbery, police said Michael Robinson served as Williams’ driver beforehand and afterward.
During several other robberies, Michael Robinson was working as the on-duty manager.
Gianni Robinson was connected to the robberies through cellphone location data, according to charging documents. Investigators said he was traveling with the robbery suspect immediately before and after certain robberies.
Police also said Gianni Robinson was dating a different manager of the Walgreens, who, during one of the robberies, emptied around $3,000 into the robber’s backpack while being held at gunpoint along with a special police officer. Authorities have not announced charges against that store manager.
Williams faces armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping and other charges when he’s out of the hospital.
WTOP’s Mike Murillo contributed to this report.
