Man is a suspect in a handful of robberies

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A 19-year-old arrested Thursday in the robbery of an East Midlothian Boulevard check-cashing business also was listed as an endangered missing person earlier this week.

During his arraignment Friday in municipal court, Judge Elizabeth Kobly set bond at $250,000 for Keyshawn Blalock on a charge of aggravated robbery and two counts of robbery.

Police put out a bulletin for Blalock on Wednesday, saying he is developmentally disabled and had been missing since Feb. 9 and was without medication. He was last thought to have taken a bus to Warren.

Assistant City Prosecutor Jeffrey Moliterno told the judge that the day after he went missing, Feb. 10, he is accused of the robbery in Youngstown at a Rite Aid on East Midlothian Boulevard, followed by another robbery at a Dollar General on Sunday on Belmont Avenue. Police said Blalock was arrested in the robbery of a Cashland in the 1100 block of East Midlothian.

He is also a suspect in robberies at two Dollar General stores in Boardman during the same time period, police said.

Thursday, witnesses told police Blalock went in the Cashland in the 1100 block of East Midlothian Boulevard and demanded money and also showed a gun. He got $579 and when he went outside, he met up with two other people.

Police responded immediately and found Blalock, who matched the description of the robber, walking nearby – but he ran when he saw police. Officers chased him on foot and set up a perimeter and eventually caught him at Jean Street and Aberdeen Avenue. The other two people could not be found.

Police did not find a gun when they caught Blalock.