HALLS, Tenn. — U.S. Marshals were out in force Tuesday afternoon in Halls after two suspected armed robbers took off running.
Desmond Stewart, 21, and J’lone Dance, 19, are accused of robbing several juveniles of their money and phones on Valentine’s Day in Milan.
A U.S. Marshals Service spokesman said the agency received a tip that Stewart was in Halls, but when they arrived they also found Dance.
Both men took off running and marshals pursued.
“Shotguns and vests and everything scared me,” said Walter Tates, who lives nearby.
“Man, I’m talking about my heart hit my socks. I came home, rushed to my kids, ‘Are y’all okay? Are y’all okay?”
Neighbors said the men were hiding out at an abandoned home on North Hall near Pickens , and they would sometimes see them walking in the neighborhood.
Stewart was arrested around the corner after a brief foot chase through neighbors’ yards, but Dance escaped. He later turned himself in Wednesday morning.
“I only thought it was one guy. That’s all I heard yesterday, it was one guy. So that’s a surprise it was two,” said Carmen Holcomb.
Both men are charged with three counts of aggravated robbery, three counts of child abuse or neglect and several charges of theft.
It’s unclear exactly how old the robbery victims are. The Milan Police Department didn’t respond to repeated requests for additional information.
“How safe do my kids feel out here like that with just grown ups robbing from kids, man? That’s ridiculous,” said Tates.
The suspects were transferred to the Gibson County Jail where they remain.
