IUPD arrests male suspect for two armed robberies

IU Police Department officers arrested an alleged armed robbery suspect Tuesday morning at Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at 1210 E. Third St. The suspect, 18-year-old James Mitchell of Bloomington, was also allegedly responsible for a B-Line Trail robbery Monday night.

Mitchell was charged with attempted armed robbery with a deadly weapon, impersonating a police officer, intimidation and resisting law enforcement. Some of those charges were made by the IUPD, while some are Bloomington Police Department charges.

The alleged victim of the incident at Lambda Chi Alpha, a 20-year-old IU student, told officers he was walking home in the 1200 block of Third Street when the suspect allegedly pointed a gun at him and told him to get on the ground.

“The suspect held up the victim,” IUPD Chief Keith Cash said. “After the victim told him he didn’t have the money, the victim offered to go into the fraternity house and ask his roommates. The suspect told him that was possible but not to tell anyone what was going on.”

At about 12:25 a.m., officers responded to a 911 call of a man with a gun behind the Lambda Chi Alpha house. The caller told officers the suspect was running on Highland Avenue south toward Atwater Avenue.

“There happened to be the two officers close to the area,” Cash said. When the suspect did not comply with the officers, he was tackled, and an air soft pistol fell to the ground.

IUPD officers turned the suspect over to the BPD for further investigation in his alleged armed robbery on the B-Line Trail. IUPD is continuing its investigation and encourages anyone with information about the case to call 812-855-4111.