Suspect still sought after USA lockdown

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Police say 19-year-old Justin Sears from Montgomery was arrested for robbing a student at gunpoint after a drug deal gone bad.

Sears has been charged with first degree robbery and third degree criminal trespass. The district attorney’s office said Sears will have a bond hearing on Tuesday.

USA police say on Sunday afternoon at around 3 p.m., a student at the Delta 4 Residence Hall invited two men to his room to buy marijuana.

Neither of the two suspects were USA students.

Police say at that point, the two men robbed the student at gunpoint, stealing an iPhone and $1,000.

The suspects fired a gunshot, but no one was injured.

A lockdown ensued and police eventually arrested Sears, but the other suspect escaped.

Police have not disclosed the relationship between the three men.

"I know that one of those persons, the one that was arrested, had friends on our campus, maybe attended school together during their high school years and they knew other folks that we have from the Montgomery area that are here on campus," USA police Chief Zeke Aull said. “We've been in contact with various law enforcement agencies and all of them have been very gracious in doing everything they can to help us."

Police have identified the second suspect, but they have not released that information at this time.

Chief Aull would not release the victim’s name and he also wouldn’t say whether the victim will face charges for admitting to police that this was a drug buy.