Pride Alert Warning System (PAWS) was put to the test Nov. 28, alerting students of robberies near the Texas A&M University – Commerce campus.
While students who signed up for PAWS alerts received phone calls and messages about the events, many found out secondhand as fewer than half the student body have signed up for the alert system.
PAWS was originally scheduled to be tested at the end of the semester, but was utilized earlier than planned to alert students about the robberies.
“I decided to use PAWS because we had already gathered student data. Even though the system hadn’t been tested, it was felt that the situation warranted getting the word out quickly,” Lt. Jason Bone, University Police Department Crime Information Officer said.
According to UPD Sgt. Kyle Lowe, the biggest problem with the PAWS system was the dozens of calls from people trying to get more information about what had happened. In doing so, dispatch and other officials progress was hindered because they weren’t able to handle the call volume.
UPD officials asked that during future alerts, members of the A&M-C community call their office only when they have information directly relating to an incident.
“Listen and trust the message received, do what the message says, but let law enforcement handle the situation,” Lowe said.
Bone agreed.
“It is not good for general public safety if information seekers tie up the lines. I recommend that people wait until further information is sent,” Bone said. “In the future, we hope to develop a call line that would allow people to hear information and then leave a message.”
Throughout Wednesday afternoon when the PAWS alerts were sent, there was speculation and exaggeration about what was going on and what happened.
Although the robberies occurred near the A&M-C campus, UPD is not handling the case, due to the crimes occurring in the Commerce Police Department jurisdiction. UPD, however, is assisting CPD in the investigation. CPD Detective Steve Scott is handling the investigation of the robberies.
“In all, there were two robberies and one attempted robbery within a four to five square block area,” Scott said.
According to a weekend press release from CPD Chief Kerry L. Crews, the three incidents took place Nov. 25 – Nov. 28.
The first incident took place Nov. 25 around 6:30 p.m. As victims were leaving a local restaurant, they noticed a light blue, early model four-door Oldsmobile, occupied by several individuals pass them.
Minutes later, the victims were approached by three black males who demanded money and threatened to harm them. The victims then noticed the same Oldsmobile they had previously seen, pull up next to them with its lights off and a fourth black male exited the vehicle, demanding money.
The victims complied, and the suspects took money from the victim’s wallets and gave the wallets back to them. The driver of the vehicle never exited the vehicle.
A second incident was reported Nov. 26 about 9:20 p.m. The victims were walking home from a local restaurant, when two black males approached from behind, startling them. When the victims got near the corner of Maple and Monroe Streets, one of the suspects yelled, “Give us what you got.”
The other suspect attempted to grab the victim’s wallet out of his back pocket. The victim told the suspect to “get away,” and the suspect punched him in the face and then attempted to get the other victim’s wallet. The second victim also refused to give his wallet to the suspect. The victims said they were going to call the police and the suspect ran away, towards Monroe Street.
According to Scott, the two incidents that happened in the evening were in poorly lit areas.
“Walk in groups of three or more, stay in lit areas, have 911 on speed dial,” Scott recommended as safety tips for everyone in the A&M-C community as well as the Commerce community.
The third incident occurred Nov. 28 about 3:20 p.m. The victim told officers two black males robbed him as he entered Prairie Crossing Apartments. The victim had entered through a gate into the complex when the two men asked the victim for his wallet.
One of the suspects reached into the victim’s back pocket and took his wallet. He opened it and took the victim’s money and gave the wallet back to the victim. They left toward the south out of Prairie Crossing. The victim in the Prairie Crossing case was not injured, nor was he threatened with violence.
The suspects are described as follows:
Suspect 1: black male (driver of the Oldsmobile)
Suspect 2: black male about 6′-2″-6′-4″ wearing a red hooded sweatshirt.
Suspect 3: black male about 5′-8″- 5′-10″ wearing a white hooded sweat shirt with pockets in the front.
Suspect 4: black male about 5′-8″-5′-10″ wearing a blue sweat shirt and had short hair.
Suspect 5: black male 5′-8″-5′-10″ wearing a blue varsity type jacket with a big “B” on the left chest area.
Commerce Police urge anyone walking north of campus to use extreme caution.
Investigators are following up on leads in these cases, and ask anyone with information related to these cases to contact Det. Steve Scott at 903-886-1139.