An 18-year-old in Memphis is facing felony robbery charges after two men he allegedly tried to rob at gunpoint fought back and held him until police arrived, according to Fox13 Memphis. It happened at a home in the Highland Heights neighborhood. Police say the gun he was carrying turned out to be a BB gun.
The two men were working on a home in the 600 block of Hillcrest Street, just off Summer Avenue, when Leotha Bush knocked on the door. Bush asked for a lighter, according to court documents. He left, then came back a short time later.
This time, Bush was holding what appeared to be a black handgun. He pointed it at the men and demanded their keys and other belongings. The two men refused to hand anything over. Court records say they wrestled the weapon away from him and pinned him down. They held him there until Memphis police arrived.
After he was taken into custody, Bush told investigators the gun wasn’t real and that the incident was meant to be a social media prank, according to Fox13. He didn’t say who the prank was for, though, or where he planned to post it. The two men declined to go on camera with the station, but they confirmed the basic account.
How Did the Robbery Attempt Affect the Neighborhood?
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A woman in the neighborhood, who asked not to be named, told Fox13 the explanation was hard to believe. She said the situation was frightening enough already without her name attached to it. To her, the idea that someone would fake an armed robbery just for social media didn’t make any sense.
She kept coming back to the social media angle and what Bush could have wanted out of it. No amount of likes or views, she said, is worth the risk he’s accused of taking. Others in the neighborhood have reacted the same way, mostly with disbelief.
What Charges is Bush Facing?
Bush was charged with two counts of felony attempted aggravated robbery. He also faces a misdemeanor count over the BB gun. As of now, he’s being held on a $150,000 bond.
Police told Fox13 that the two men had no way of knowing the gun was fake when it was pointed at them. The case has been handed over to Shelby County prosecutors. As of publication, no court date had been set.