CUMBERLAND, Ind. – Two teenagers are accused of robbery and murder after an innocent customer at a Dollar General was killed in the parking lot.
The crime happened on Monday night around 8:45 p.m. in Cumberland.
An officer was already in the area patrolling at the time because of a recent rise in robberies in the area.
When officers arrived at the store, they saw a man run towards the front of the business and grab a customer exiting the business.
“It is our belief at this time that the victim who was shot and killed as a part of this robbery actually interrupted a robbery that was going on at the business itself,” said Cumberland Police Chief Michael Crooke.
The man took the customer into the parking lot, where he was being robbed. As officers approached the store, they heard gunshots from the parking lot, and the shooter ran from the scene
Officers found the man lying on the ground and suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
That man was later identified as 37-year-old Gregory Raley.
As detectives investigated the crime, they learned another man was inside the Dollar General robbing the store at the same time as the shooting. That man also fled the scene on foot.
IMPD, Cumberland PD, and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department set up a perimeter, and four people, all teens, were taken into custody. But police say they only have evidence to charge two of those teens at this time. A 14-year-old and an 18-year-old now face robbery and homicide charges. Police spent the night trying to figure out what role each played in the robbery.
“We are confident we have all the individuals involved in this,” Crooke said.
Police say they have surveillance video from the Dollar General, and they are working on reviewing it as they continue to investigate. Three other Dollar General stores were robbed last night. Police say it’s possible they were all connected. They are looking over surveillance video and plan to head back to the scene today to investigate.
This crime follows a robbery at the Pizza King next door to the Dollar General on Friday night. It happened roughly 15 minutes before the restaurant closed. A 17-year-old high school senior was working to save money for college when three thieves came in.
Police tell us there have been 27 business robberies in Cumberland in 2018.The last time there was a murder in Cumberland was in 2016.
“In 2016 we had six armed robberies. In 2017 we had 11. This would be our 27th one of the year. So we have that increase in crime, everyone else is seeing it as well,” Crooke said.
If you have any information on this crime, please call Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.
