Ansonia PD Photo
(Left to right) Brown and Sparks
ANSONIA – Police announced the arrest March 6 of two suspects in connection to a robbery caught on video that shocked residents for its callousness.
Tashira Sparks, 19, is charged with third-degree robbery, third-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree larceny, conspiracy to second-degree larceny, second-degree threatening, first-degree unlawful restraint, and second-degree breach of peace.
Carl Octavio Brown, 29, of Bridgeport, is charged with third-degree robbery, conspiracy to third-degree robbery, second-degree larceny, conspiracy to second-degree larceny, and second-degree breach of peace.
Both were arrested on warrants issued March 5. They were held on $250,000 bonds pending a court appearance today (March 6) in Superior Court in Derby.
The arrests are in connection to a robbery outside The Spot, a restaurant night club on E. Main St., at about 11:40 p.m. March 1.
Two vehicles were in a minor accident. Police said the driver of one car, now identified as Sparks, began yelling at the driver of the second vehicle.
Brown allegedly captured the altercation on video.
In the video, Sparks approaches the victim while he sits in his car’s driver’s seat. She shouts at the victim while Brown, the cameraman, according to police, eggs her on.
“Smack that n — ‚” Brown says, repeatedly.
“He’s giving up money or I’m calling the cops,” Sparks is heard saying.
The victim attempts to talk with Sparks, but his voice is mostly drowned out by the shouting.
The victim eventually gives over his wallet and his cell phone.
The video, which circulated on social media, shows people standing around doing nothing — not even calling for help, police said.
That caused Ansonia Police Chief Wayne Williams to issue a sharply-worded statement admonishing the bystanders for their apathy. Click here for a previous Valley Indy story.
But people who watched the video online called police with information to help Detective Shawn Mendenhall build a case against the two suspects.
“I want to thank those that have stepped up after the fact to provide information on the suspects in this case,” the chief said March 6.
Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti said cameras and videos can work wonders to catch criminals.
“(I’m) very happy the police are on top of this,” he said.
