Duluth High Student Reportedly Robbed of Sneakers at Gunpoint

Update 2:27pm - We have updated the story after learning the identity of the juvenile suspect as 16 year old Christian Brown of Lawrenceville. We also have new details about the previous robbery in which Brown is a suspect as well.

A Gwinnett County high school student tried to sell sneakers online, and instead was reportedly robbed of them at gunpoint by a Lawrenceville teen.

On Wednesday, December 18, a student at Duluth High School posted a pair of sneakers for sale on the Facebook page “Gwinnett Sneaker Heads.” Another member of the group offered to buy the pair of Jordan Six Gold Moments from the teen for $280. The buyer then gave the teen a phone number and the two arranged to meet at the Jenny Mart on Club Drive later that night. The buyer later texted and changed the location to the Wesley St. Claire Apartments, on Sweetwater Road in unincorporated Lawrenceville at about 11pm.

When the teen and his friend arrived at the mailboxes at the apartment complex, the supposed buyer tapped on the car window and the teen got out of the car and gave the shoes to him. 

That’s when, according to a police report, 16 year old Christian Brown came out from behind the leasing office. “Are they good?” Brown asked the young man posing as the buyer. His accomplice responded, “they’re clean.” Brown then allegedly pulled out a black handgun and pointed it at the student and ordered him to get back in the car. The victim told police Brown then put the gun to his forehead.

When the victim got back in the car, the two suspects ran off towards another apartment complex nearby with the Jordans. The sneakers have a value as high as $1,000. 

Police were able to track down the phone number the fake buyer gave the victim. The student also identified one of his alleged robbers from photos in the Facebook group.

Detectives discovered Brown fit the description of another robbery that happened at the Jenny Mart the week before. In that case, the victim agreed to sell a pair 2013 Air Jordans to the Brown, whom he had also met on Facebook. Brown allegedly grabbed the sneakers, then took off running. The victim chased the teen until Brown turned around and reportedly pointed a gun towards him.

Gwinnett detectives went to the Lawrenceville home of Brown and waited for him to come out. The victim was brought over and identified the teen as the one with the gun.

Brown was taken into custody along with Tyrese Tyrail Watkins of Lawrenceville. Both were charged with armed robbery.

This incident comes just one year after Grayson High School freshman Paul Sampleton, Jr. was murdered. Three teens were charged in the crime. Police believe the motive there was Sampleton’s collection of high-end sneakers he traded on Facebook.