Two men accused of armed robberies during Facebook Marketplace transactions were arrested in Fort Worth, police said.
Fort Worth police officers responded to a series of armed robberies tied to Facebook Marketplace transactions on Aug. 15, police said in a news release.
Jeremiah Ross, 21, and Davontate Ashley, 20, allegedly used a handgun to steal property from a marketplace transaction and attempted a carjacking of a second victim, police said.
In a dash camera video shared by police, an officer can be seen stepping out quickly from a patrol vehicle as Ross was seen running in the street. The officer then stopped him using a taser and commanded him to put his hands on his back.
Ross can be seen lying on the ground with a black backpack. A body camera footage shows the officer pulling out a high-capacity 50-round drum magazine and a gun from the backpack.
Through a coordinated effort involving Central Patrol, the Real Time Crime Center and FLOCK technology, officers identified a silver Honda sedan matching the suspect vehicle description, police said.
Ashley was detained during a traffic stop. Police stopped the Honda sedan, and he was seen in a dashcam video coming out of the car with his hands up in the air.
Investigators determined that Ross and Ashley were involved in the robberies, and stolen property was recovered during a search warrant. Both were arrested and face charges of aggravated robbery.
People using online marketplaces should put safety first and meet in a public place during daylight hours, bring someone with them, and consider using a designated safe exchange location when available, police said.
“If something doesn’t feel right, leave and contact police,” police said in the release. “Trust your instincts and remember, no sale is worth putting yourself in danger.”
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Shambhavi covers crime, law enforcement and other breaking news in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. She graduated from the University of North Texas and previously covered a variety of general assignment topics in West Texas. She grew up in Nepal.