Bemidji police searching for suspect after armed robbery at Ridgeway Apartments
Jun. 22—BEMIDJI — Authorities are searching for an armed suspect following a robbery at the Ridgeway Apartments in Bemidji on Tuesday.
Robert Needham, 24, of Bemidji, is described as a Native American male with short black hair, about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds. He was last seen wearing a white Adidas T-shirt with black lettering and black sweat pants. He is believed to be in possession of a handgun and should be considered dangerous, according to a release from Bemidji Police Chief Mike Mastin.
On June 22, at approximately 1 a.m. the Bemidji Police Department responded to the area of 2800 Ridgeway Avenue after a gunshot was reported, according to the release. Callers reported seeing a silver SUV leaving the scene. A Bemidji police officer in the area spotted a vehicle matching that description and initiated a traffic stop.
The driver of the SUV stated he was in the second-floor hallway of the 2800 Ridgeway Apartment complex when a Native American male approached him and demanded money. When the victim told this male "No," the suspect pulled out a handgun and fired a round at him, the release said.
The victim fled the building and stated that the suspect then ran into one of the second-floor apartments.
A high-risk search warrant was executed with the assistance of the Headwaters SWAT team after the officers identified which apartment the suspect had entered. Officers located a female related to the apartment who stated that the suspect, identified as Needham, jumped out the second-story apartment window prior to officers' arrival.
Police are still investigating the incident and are asking for the public's help in locating Needam.
Anyone with information about this incident should contact Bemidji Police detectives at (218) 333-9111. If you have information about this crime you can report it and stay anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers of Minnesota at their website www.CrimeStoppersMn.org, by calling the toll-free phone number (800) 222-8477; or by using the P3 Tip Submit app installable on all smartphones. All contact with Crime Stoppers is anonymous and you may qualify for a reward of up to $1,000.
