Tashira Sparks
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| Carl Octavio Brown |
ANSONIA - Police Wednesday arrested two individuals after video posted on social media shows a robbery Saturday on the street in front of 370 East Main St., The Spot restaurant and lounge.
While the beginning of this case and investigation showed the downside of social media with people more interested in recording and posting the incident and not reporting it, once the video was posted there were numerous people who responded and provided information to help identify the involved parties, Lt. Patrick Lynch said in a written release Thursday afternoon.
The information coupled with the work of Det. Shawn Mendenhall resulted in the arrest of Tashira Sparks and Carl Octavio Brown for their involvement in the incident. Sparks was the female in the video and Brown was the male recording.
Tashira Sparks, 19, of Ansonia was charged with robbery third degree, conspiracy to robbery third degree, larceny second degree, conspiracy to larceny second degree, threatening second degree, unlawful restraint first degree, and breach of peace second degree.
Sparks was held on a $250,000 bond and was to be arraigned today at Derby Superior Court .
Carl Octavio Brown, 29, of Bridgeport was charged with robbery third degree, conspiracy to robbery third degree, larceny second degree, conspiracy to larceny second degree, and breach of peace second degree.
Carl Octavio Brown, 29, of Bridgeport was charged with robbery third degree, conspiracy to robbery third degree, larceny second degree, conspiracy to larceny second degree, and breach of peace second degree.
Brown was held on a $250,0000 bond and was to be arraigned today at Derby Superior Court .
The following is a statement from Chief Wayne Williams:
“Last evening, detectives and officers from the Ansonia Police Department obtained arrest warrants and took two suspects into custody for the robbery in front of The Spot in Ansonia.
As Chief of the Ansonia Police Department, I am outraged by the recent street robbery in which a victim was attacked while bystanders stood by, recording the crime for social media instead of calling for help.
The following is a statement from Chief Wayne Williams:
“Last evening, detectives and officers from the Ansonia Police Department obtained arrest warrants and took two suspects into custody for the robbery in front of The Spot in Ansonia.
As Chief of the Ansonia Police Department, I am outraged by the recent street robbery in which a victim was attacked while bystanders stood by, recording the crime for social media instead of calling for help.
This is not just disappointing—it is disgraceful. Let me be absolutely clear: this is not an accurate depiction of the residents of the City of Ansonia. When someone is being victimized, the right thing to do is to step up—call 911, get help, do something.
Instead, people chose to pull out their phones and chase social media attention while an innocent person was suffering. That is completely unacceptable. Criminals thrive when people choose apathy over action.
Every second wasted recording instead of reporting puts victims at greater risk and allows criminals to escape justice. We cannot allow this kind of behavior to become normal.
Let me also issue a challenge to our society—be better. If you see something, do something. Your phone should be a tool for calling for help, not for exploiting someone’s pain for likes, clicks and shares.
"I want to thank those that have stepped up after the fact to provide information on the suspects in this case.”
"I want to thank those that have stepped up after the fact to provide information on the suspects in this case.”
This is a press release from Lt. Patrick Lynch.
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