Minneapolis police filed charges Friday against a man they think is responsible for five armed robberies across south Minneapolis, two of which occurred near the University of Minnesota campus. Cecil Orlando Shaw, 25, has been charged with felonies for first degree aggravated robbery and kidnapping for a March 1 incident, according to a press release from Minneapolis police.
Though he has only been charged for one of the robberies, police expect that he will eventually receive additional charges for the other four crimes. In all five incidents, a man approached the victims in a silver Plymouth minivan and robbed them at gunpoint. Several victims were able to provide a license plate number of the minivan, according to the complaint filed Friday in Hennepin County District Court. The charges address an incident where Shaw forced a woman at gunpoint to enter his silver minivan and remove her clothing, according to the complaint. She escaped to a nearby house and dialed 911. She later identified Shaw by picture as a possible assailant, but said she believed a different man was driving the van. Minneapolis police would not comment on whether a second suspect is being pursued. Minneapolis police searched the van after it was found parked in Richfield and impounded. Police found the victimâÄôs jacket, cell phone, identification and a Hennepin County jail bracelet with ShawâÄôs name and photo on it, which he had received a few days earlier, the complaint stated. Shaw was booked in Hennepin County Jail Feb. 27 and charged with first degree possession of cocaine after Richfield police found drugs in his van. He then was released pending a laboratory test on the drugs. Minneapolis police Sgt. Bill Palmer said the department is pleased they caught Shaw. âÄúAny time that somebody is using a firearm in the commission of a crime, weâÄôd like to get that person into custody as soon as possible,âÄù Palmer said. The robberies near the University campus happened at 1:30 a.m. March 1 at 19th Avenue by the West Bank, and Huron Boulevard Southeast on the East Bank fifteen minutes later. A 27-year-old student and a 21-year-old nonstudent were victims of those robberies. âÄúI think that, given the number of robberies that this person is alleged to have perpetrated, weâÄôre very happy this arrest has been made and this guy has been charged,âÄù Palmer said.
