2 teens rob Blues prospect at gunpoint in St. Louis

A St. Louis Blues prospect was robbed at gunpoint on the grounds of the Gateway Arch on Monday, but the good news is that the perpetrators have been apprehended. Two teenagers are facing federal charges after one of the suspect ran up to a man and woman, pointed a gun at them and demanded their property just before 7:30 p.m. Monday. The victims gave the suspect their cell phones, purse, wallet and car keys.

None of the victims were injured in the robbery, but it prompted St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong to disclose that one of the robbery victims was a prospect who was in town for a rookie camp.

“The St. Louis Police Department is investigating an armed robbery that took place on the Arch grounds early Monday evening involving one of our organization’s prospects.  Our player, who is in St. Louis for our rookie camp, is safe as local authorities work to apprehend the suspect. We will have no further comment at this time,” read Armstrong’s statement.

It took a few days for St. Louis police to make an arrest, though it was announced on Thursday morning that two suspects, 18-year-old Kaniya Sloan and 19-year-old Christopher Franklin, along with a juvenile, had been arrested in the case. Federal charges were issued against the two adults for aiding and abetting a robbery on federal territorial jurisdiction and accessory after the fact of a robbery on federal territorial jurisdiction. The federal charges state the surveillance footage from the area was used to identify the suspected robber and several leads helped them make the arrests. 

We hope the young prospect and the woman are okay. We can only imagine that this type of incident got the prospect distracted from the camp in St. Louis. 

At least, everyone is okay.