Customer killed during lunch-hour armed robbery in Albany

ALBANY — Albany police have identified Daniel Stroud as a person of interest in the Friday shooting death of 31-year-old Jarvis Walker during an armed robbery attempt at a Dollar General store on East Oglethorpe Boulevard.

APD said they wanted Stroud for questioning in the case in a Saturday news release.

Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler identified Walker, who was killed at the outlet at around 12:45 p.m. Friday, as the victim in the shooting.

“He was trying to do a good thing,” Fowler said, noting he understood Walker was shot while trying to prevent the cashier from being held up at the store at 1906 E. Oglethorpe Blvd.

Earlier Friday afternoon, Albany police said they had found a vehicle believed to have been driven by one of a pair of armed robbers.

Police are searching for two suspects, possibly males, in connection to the murder, which is Albany’s 17th homicide this year.

Phyllis Banks, a spokeswoman for the Albany Police Department, said late Friday that a 2007 maroon- or burgundy-colored Ford Fusion believed to have been used by the gunmen had been recovered at Clark Avenue and Branch Road.

Crime scene investigators put up a white sheet to cover the front door of the business establishment after arriving on the scene Friday afternoon and scoured for clues, marking the location of shell casings and various other evidence in and around the entrance.

“We are not sure about the race of the suspects yet, but the reports we have received say there was one black and one white suspect,” APD spokeswoman Phyllis Banks said Friday. “It is uncertain, at this time, if anything was taken from the store. We will be reviewing security surveillance footage, and we are on the lookout for a maroon or burgundy Ford Fusion with a white male driving. We do not know how many people were in that car at this time.”

Banks said one of the suspects was wearing a white shirt and red shorts. The other was described as wearing a dark-colored hoodie and sweatpants.

“They are described as being between 5-feet-6 and 5-feet-11,” Banks said.

Witnesses on the scene told The Albany Herald that the victim, who had not been identified at the time, was believed to be a young male who frequented the store and picked up cans around the neighborhood while riding his bike.

APD Chief Michael Persley took time out of the investigation to briefly speak to the press Friday about the incident.

“Officers responded today to an armed robbery call, and upon their arrival they found that one person was the victim of a gunshot wound,” Persley said Friday above the noise of traffic and sirens on the scene. “There was a possible attempted robbery at this location, and right now we are looking for suspects.”

Persley commented that fall is the time of year when there usually is an uptick in violent crimes.

“We know, historically, increasing incidents of certain crimes will happen here in Albany during certain times of the year, and many times when we have a crime of violence, like today, not only does it shock the police department, but it definitely shocks the community,” Persley said. “Again, we are asking that people treat each other with respect. There is no need to resort to violence because that not only hurts the victim but also the families.

“Right now there is an active investigation occurring, and we are looking for multiple suspects. Once we have some more information, we will put that out.”

Persley offered encouraging advice about the celebratory weekend planned for Albany State University, which is celebrating homecoming week.

“In spite of this, we want the public to know you can still carry on with your activities that you have planned for this weekend,” the APD chief said. “We will be providing increased patrols throughout this weekend, and we will do everything that we can to bring these people to justice.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Albany Police Department at (229) 431-2100 or Crime Stoppers at (229) 436-TIPS (8477).