LATEST: Family members identify the robbery victim as Blake Barnes. The 14-year-old spoke with 13 Action News just hours after he was robbed at gunpoint near Hollywood and Owens. The suspect took off with his cellphone.
"My phone was playing music, that might have been what they heard," said Barnes.
Barnes has some bruises on his leg but he considers himself lucky. The 8th grade student says he knew something was wrong when an SUV slowed down in the street.
"It's just kind of scary to see that there's a car right in front of you about to do something," he said.
Barnes says the suspect jumped out of the vehicle.
Coming up - a teen chased, attacked, and robbed at gunpoint. Tonight @LVMPD looking for this SUV. Meantime school officials say this has happened to 3 kids. The story & warning now on @KTNV @ToddQuinones @TriciaKean pic.twitter.com/54w4jCbrYO
— MAHSA SAEIDI, ESQ. (@MahsaWho) January 16, 2019
"He tackles me on the floor, keeps me on the floor, and tells me to give up my phone," he said.
Barnes said he handed over the phone, screamed and ran away. His family hopes that police can close this case.
"I'm not even going to let him walk to school anymore," said mom Shana Romaine, "it's not fair to a 14 year-old to feel like he can't go to school and be safe."
In a letter, school officials sent out important safety reminders including staying in a group and reporting suspicious activities.
ORIGINAL: A middle school student was robbed at gunpoint early Tuesday morning in northeast Las Vegas.
The student was walking to Mike O'Callaghan Middle School when he was robbed in the 6700 block of Cherry Grove Avenue, near Hollywood Boulevard, just after 6 a.m.
Police said a male suspect was in an SUV, got out of the vehicle and chased down to the juvenile. The suspect then tackled the student and stole his cell phone before leaving the scene.
The suspect was described as a white man in his early 20s.
O'Callaghan school officials have also released a warning to parents about the recent incident, as three such reports of students being robbed by gunpoint while on their way to school have been reported.
Students were not injured in these crimes, but police said the investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information was urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555.
