Sources: Police arrest third suspect in string of weekend attacks, robberies

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sources have told Channel 9 that a third suspect has been arrested in connection with several robberies and beatings in east Charlotte this past weekend.

Sources said police arrested Israel Williams and charged him with robbery.

On Tuesday a man who says he was attacked and robbed by a group of teenagers showed Channel 9 his injuries.

His case is one of three police are investigating in a string of attacks this past weekend. Police say one attack was so bad a man was rushed to the hospital.

All three attacks happened late Friday and Saturday, not far from Independence Boulevard and Idlewild Road.

Anil Gurung, 19, told reporter Tina Terry he was walking through the Family Dollar parking lot on Independence Boulevard Saturday night when a group of teens attacked him. He said it happened around 10:30 p.m.

He has scrapes and bruises all over his face and body, and is walking with a limp. Gurung described the attack, saying ,"Suddenly he came around behind me. He suddenly punched me in the back and I fell down."

A camera at the Red Sea grocery store captured the beating, but Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have not released the video.

Officers believe some of the teenagers are responsible for a similar robbery and beating that happened 10 minutes earlier around the corner near an apartment complex on Idlewild Road. Another crime the day before happened a half away on Independence near Bojangles.

"One of them was assaulted with a baseball bat," said Lt. Brad Koch, with the Independence Division.

Police arrested Gabriyel Abdullah, 20, in connection with the crimes on Tuesday. On Monday they arrested a 15-year-old. They are still searching for other suspects.

WSOC