Robbery Suspect Apprehended After Escape and Foot Chase in Atlanta

On August 9, 2024, at approximately 8:20 PM, officers were dispatched to the Boulevard Food Mart located at 356 Boulevard NE, Atlanta, in response to a robbery. Upon arrival, they spoke with the victim, who described being approached inside the store by an unidentified black male. The suspect, armed with a semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, demanded the victim’s car keys. The victim complied, but the suspect forcibly grabbed the keys from his hand before fleeing the scene.

Surveillance footage from the store captured the entire incident. The footage showed the suspect brandishing the firearm and snatching the keys in a brief but intense encounter.

On August 17, 2024, at approximately 5:58 PM, while patrolling near 356 Boulevard NE, an officer was flagged down by a person with new information about the suspect. The individual reported seeing someone who resembled the robbery suspect entering the Boulevard Food Mart earlier in the day and believed the suspect might still be in the vicinity.

Following this tip, the officer conducted a canvass of the area. During this search, the officer identified a male who matched the description from the surveillance footage. As the officer approached, the suspect attempted to walk away but was detained without incident. The suspect was initially handcuffed and placed in a patrol vehicle for transport back to the original location of the robbery.

While being transported, the suspect managed to maneuver out of the handcuffs and escape from the patrol vehicle. An immediate search was launched by the responding officers, leading them to a nearby residential parking garage where the suspect was found.

Upon sighting the officers, the suspect fled again, initiating a brief foot chase through the garage. The pursuit was quickly brought to an end as additional officers arrived and apprehended the suspect.

The suspect was identified as 27-year-old Jaquan Blakeney. He was charged with Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. Blakeney also had an outstanding warrant from Calhoun County, GA. He was subsequently transported to the Fulton County Jail for processing. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.