AUSTIN (KXAN)– The Austin Police Department arrested two men in connection with an armed robbery in south Austin March 9, according to an APD news release.
At approximately 11:30 a.m., a detective with the APD Robbery Unit was canvassing the block of South Congress Avenue for a separate incident when an employee of a game room flagged him down, the release said. The employee told the detective two men recently robbed the business.
Surveillance video from the business showed two suspects walk up to the locked front door of the game room, and the employees opened the door, the release said. Once the suspect entered, he pulled out a semi-automatic pistol and placed it on the employee’s head, police said.
Images provided by the Austin Police Department
Then, the second suspect entered and locked the door behind him, the release said. Both suspects then demanded the employee open the game room machines to get cash. Furthermore, police said another employee inside the business was pistol-whipped and robbed.
A bystander who saw what was happening wrote down the suspect vehicle’s license plate, which was a pickup truck, and handed the note to someone inside the game room, police said.
Security cameras were able to get good images of both suspects’ faces as they left the scene in the pickup truck, police said.
Images provided by the Austin Police Department
During the investigation, the detective discovered the first suspect and owner of the pickup truck was Jaylen Orlando Alfaro, 28, the release said. The second suspect, Zacquez Manyae Victor, 25, was identified through social media profiles.
Additionally, Alfaro was Victor’s music manager, according to police.
Alfaro and Victor were recently scheduled to perform at a venue with other musicians, known as Gary Spencer and Jovan Smith, the release said.
According to police, the event was not affiliated with South by Southwest.
Members of the Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF) conducted surveillance at Alfaro’s home and saw both the robbery suspects, as well as the pickup truck used in the crime, police said. Once Alfaro and Victor were positively identified, detectives obtained arrest warrants for them.
Alfaro and Victor were arrested and charged with aggravated robbery, according to police.
Spencer, known as “King Savage,” was also at Alfaro’s home. He had an outstanding warrant for evading police issued out of Hays County, the release said.
A fourth person, Jovan Smith, known as “Cosmo Santana,” had an outstanding warrant for criminal mischief out of Bell County, the release said.
Both Spencer and Smith were also arrested, police said.
Detectives also found a black pistol inside Victor’s backpack, and a second pistol was found in Alfaro’s bedroom, police said.
During an interview, Victor admitted to the robbery and reported the pistol he had in his backpack was the same one he used during the robbery.
The case remained under investigation Friday.