Three robberies occurred near campus within about 20 minutes Monday night, and Yale police quickly apprehended a suspect.

At 6:11 p.m., police received a report of the first robbery. A woman had been walking near the East Rock neighborhood and was at 141 Whitney Ave. when a white male grabbed her by the arm and demanded money. She gave him her ATM card and $8 in cash, and he ran off.

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By 6:33 p.m., the man had robbed two other individuals near the intersection of Whitney Avenue and Sachem Street, police say.

The Yale and the New Haven Police departments jointly investigated the incidents and soon closed in on the suspect.

Shortly after the robberies, YPD Officer Michael Dominque spotted and apprehended a white male who fit the victims’ descriptions outside of the Gourmet Heaven on Whitney Avenue. The man was later identified as Justin Schwarz, 23, of New Haven’s East Shore neighborhood. Schwarz was positively identified, arrested and charged with robbery, larceny, unlawful restraint and interfering with a police officer.

Elsewhere in the city Monday evening, two New Haven police officers were injured after responding to a reported strangling at a house on Edgewood Avenue. According to City spokeswoman Jessica Mayorga, officers responded to the house and were told that Herone Francis, 42, had tried to strangle his girlfriend’s adult daughter. When officers approached Francis on the street outside the house, he allegedly drew a knife and assaulted them.

Officer J. Kyle’s right hand was fractured and Officer M. De Jesus received minor injuries to his face. They managed to restrain and arrest Francis, charging him with a number of offenses including assault of a public safety officer, reckless endangerment and strangulation.

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