ANSONIA, Conn. — Ansonia police say they’ve made two arrests after a video of a robbery showed people recording the crime for social media instead of calling for help.
Police said they received a robbery complaint on March 1, for an incident that occurred on the street in front of 370 East Main St., which is home to The Spot restaurant and lounge.
Once a video of the incident was posted, there were multiple people who helped identify the involved parties, police said.
They determined an Ansonia woman was the female seen in the video and a man from Bridgeport was the one recording. Arrest warrants were obtained on March 5 and the pair were taken into custody.
Tashira Sparks, 19, and Carl Octavio Brown, 29, were both charged with multiple robbery offenses, first-degree unlawful restraint, and second-degree breach of peace.
Tashira Sparks, 19, is charged with third-degree robbery, third-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree larceny, conspiracy to second-degree larceny, second-degree threatening, first-degree unlawful restraint, and second-degree breach of peace.
Carl Octavio Brown, 29, of Bridgeport, is charged with third-degree robbery, conspiracy to third-degree robbery, second-degree larceny, conspiracy to second-degree larceny, and second-degree breach of peace.
Both were arrested on warrants issued March 5. They were held on $250,000 bonds pending a court appearance today (March 6) in Superior Court in Derby.
The arrests are in connection to a robbery outside The Spot, a restaurant night club on E. Main St., at about 11:40 p.m. March 1.
Two vehicles were in a minor accident. Police said the driver of one car, now identified as Sparks, began yelling at the driver of the second vehicle.
Brown allegedly captured the altercation on video.
In the video, Sparks approaches the victim while he sits in his car’s driver’s seat. She shouts at the victim while Brown, the cameraman, according to police, eggs her on.
“Smack that n — ‚” Brown says, repeatedly.
“He’s giving up money or I’m calling the cops,” Sparks is heard saying.
The victim attempts to talk with Sparks, but his voice is mostly drowned out by the shouting.
The victim eventually gives over his wallet and his cell phone.
The video, which circulated on social media, shows people standing around doing nothing — not even calling for help, police said.