The Bloomington Police Department arrested 35-year-old Byron Gregory Johnson Wednesday on charges of robbery, theft and intimidation in connection with two separate incidents that occurred Tuesday, including a robbery at the 17th Street IU Credit Union.
According to a BPD press release, BPD officers responded to a panic alarm at the IU Credit Union located at 510 E. 17th Street around 3:50 p.m. Tuesday, where they learned someone had robbed the bank. Witnesses saw the suspect – described as a male wearing a tan coat, black pants and a dark-colored face covering – leave the bank head south on foot. After checking the area south of the IU Credit Union, officers could not locate the suspect.
The robbery at the bank – located across the street from Memorial Stadium – prompted the IU Police Department to issue three IU Notify Bloomington alerts from 4:30 p.m. to 4:58 p.m., including one alert instructing those nearby to seek shelter.
Bank employees said the suspect entered the bank, approached the teller counter and handed a note across the counter to an employee. According to the release, investigators located the name “Byron Johnson” on the back of the note handed to the employee. After he received the money from the employee’s drawer behind the counter, the suspect left the building and fled southbound on foot.
By searching police records, BPD investigators found Johnson matched the physical descriptions of the suspect. Investigators also determined Johnson matched the descriptions for a suspect in another robbery that occurred around 1:00 a.m. Tuesday morning at the Circle K gas station located at 4405 E. Third Street.
After determining Johnson had a black 2011 Chevrolet Equinox registered in his name, BPD officers tried to search for the vehicle but were initially unsuccessful. Around 9:20 a.m. Wednesday morning officers located Johnson’s vehicle, which was parked in the Kinser Flats parking lot at 1610 N. Kinser Pike. Officers then took Johnson – who was inside the vehicle when they approached – into custody without incident. Additionally, officers found a sock holding a large amount of cash while searching Johnson.
According to the release, Johnson is considered “transient,” defined in BPD’s general order on police interactions with homeless encampments as someone who does not have stable housing or employment and stays in one location for brief periods of time.
Officers transported Johnson to BPD for an interview, then to the Monroe County Jail where he was remanded on two charges of robbery, two charges of theft and one charge of intimidation.
