A string of incidents in Nashville has led to the arrest of Marquis Douglas, 42, for the alleged armed robbery of a Vanderbilt University student and the attempted armed robbery of an 89-year-old woman. According to WSMV, Douglas is accused of confronting the student at 6:55 a.m. near 32nd Avenue and Orleans Drive, where he reportedly demanded her belongings at gunpoint. The student acquiesced, handing over $70 before he fled the scene.
Later that same day, authorities say Douglas approached an elderly woman in her vehicle after she had returned from the Richland Park Farmers Market. The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) details that he demanded the woman's purse while brandishing a pistol. However, despite her refusal and question, "Why are you doing this? I'm 89-years-old," Douglas left without the purse as the area was populated with people. This interaction was disclosed by the victim in a statement obtained by WSMV.
The MNPD reports that Douglas was subsequently identified and apprehended following a foot chase on Charlotte Pike. A witness reported seeing Douglas discard a pistol in the bed of a truck next to a pizza restaurant during the chase, further linking him to the robberies. It was determined that the firearm had been stolen from Murfreesboro. The details of his capture were corroborated by MNPD and covered by FOX17.
The MNPD has charged Douglas with various offenses, including aggravated robbery, attempted aggravated robbery, gun theft, gun possession during the commission of a dangerous felony, and evading arrest, for the aforementioned incidents. Douglas remains in custody, with the total bond set at $110,000 for both cases. Surveillance footage from the day in question assisted in tying Douglas to the crimes, as the clothing he wore during his attempted robbery matched that seen in the video from the earlier crime, said MNPD.
