Full Notification

UPDATE 11-14-14, 6:30 PM, month of arrest corrected:

After Saturday morning's robbery at the Dollar General on S. Washington, APD officers checked various businesses for any possible outside surveillance video that might indicate a suspect vehicle. Officers were initially given a basic vehicle description by a witness and they began looking for any similar type vehicle in the surveillance video. While checking the video, officers were able to identify a vehicle very similar in style to what the witness had seen leaving the area. The suspect vehicle was seen in video pulling into an adjacent parking lot and a male suspect exits the vehicle and walks towards the front of the Dollar General. The suspect apparently was scared away by another individual and returned to his vehicle and quickly left the area. About 10 minutes later, the same vehicle returned to the same parking area. Again, a male subject exited the vehicle carrying a black satchel and walked towards the front of the Dollar General. The suspect walked out of camera view, but a few minutes later is seen running back to the vehicle, removing a “hockey” mask, getting back into the vehicle, and quickly leaving the parking lot.

After obtaining a more detailed description on the suspect vehicle, APD Detectives were able to give field officers a more accurate description of the suspect’s getaway vehicle. On Saturday evening, November 8^th at 8:30 PM a field officer on routine patrol was traveling through a south Amarillo neighborhood when he observed a vehicle matching the description that APD Detectives were able to put together. The officer spotted up on the vehicle and notified a supervisor. APD undercover officers were called in to assist in the investigation.

The following Sunday morning, officers stopped the suspect vehicle on a traffic stop. The driver was identified as Mark Carlos Brown B/M 43 of Amarillo. Brown was escorted to the Police Department for questioning. While at the PD, Mr. Brown was allowed to use the restroom. As the Detectives were escorting him back to the interrogation room, with one in front of Brown and the other following Brown, Brown attempted to escape. Brown ran to a nearby stairwell exit in an attempt to escape from the officers. The detectives pursued Brown and he was caught within the second flight of stairs. Brown was again escorted back to an interrogation room where he was interviewed. Officers obtained consent to search the residence Brown had been staying at and a mask and BB gun was recovered and booked as evidence. Officers also located cash in the vehicle Brown was driving when stopped.

After speaking with Detectives, Brown was transported and booked into the Potter County Correction Center on a charge of Escape. On Monday November 10, a second charge was added to Brown, this one being a Parole Violation warrant.

On Friday November 14^th APD Detectives presented a case to the Randall County DA’s office for review on the string of robberies with the matching description of a B/M wearing a hockey or “Jason” type mask. The Randall County DA’s office accepted one count of Armed Robbery from the Dollar General robbery on 11-8-14 and a warrant was issued and served on Brown. Brown remains in Potter County at this time. A one million dollar bond has been set for Brown on the Aggravated Robbery charge. The remaining similar cases will be presented to a Randall County Grand Jury at a later date.  

Original Release;

On Saturday November 8^th at 10:45am, APD officers were sent to the Dollar General at 4308 S Washington on an armed robbery in progress. Officers were advised by a customer in the store that a B/M with a black hoodie wearing a hockey type mask armed with a handgun, was robbing the store. The customer had walked in when the suspect was behind the counter forcing the clerk to place money in a bag. When the customer saw was what occurring they immediately turned and left the premises and called the police. After getting an undisclosed amount of money from the store, the suspect took off towards the north of the business then west between businesses. The suspect was possibly driving a smaller SUV type vehicle. No one was hurt in the robbery and the investigation is on-going.