APD Robbery Detectives Arrest Three Suspects in Connection to Multiple Aggravated Robberies

Case: 26-5014068
 
Date: Sunday, September 13, 2026
 
Time: 2:25 a.m.
 
Location: E. 6th Street and Sabine Street
 
Suspect (arrested): Alijah Rodriguez, Hispanic male, 18 years of age

Suspect (arrested): Juvenile suspect #1
 
Suspect (arrested): Juvenile suspect #2
 
On Sunday, September 13, 2026, at approximately 2:25 a.m., during bar close, a juvenile suspect forcibly removed a gold necklace from a female victim who was walking in the 500 block of E. 6th Street. The victim attempted to regain her property from the juvenile suspect, but the juvenile suspect pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the victim and a friend of the juvenile suspect threatened to shoot them.
 
The juvenile suspect then ran eastbound and turned south onto Sabine Street, where a second juvenile suspect and Alijah Rodriguez were waiting in a getaway vehicle. As the first juvenile suspect approached the getaway vehicle, he encountered a group of three, active-duty United States Army service members and proceeded to rob them at gunpoint for their jewelry.
 
The second juvenile suspect retrieved a Draco (a common term used to describe an AK-47 style rifle that is not equipped with a stock) and joined the first juvenile suspect in the robbery. The juvenile suspects targeted the Army service members with their firearms and after removing the contents from one of the Army service member's wallet, the first juvenile suspect shot the victim in the face, causing serious injuries.
 
The group of suspects left the scene. APD Downtown Area Command officers, CAST personnel, Austin Travis County Emergency Medical Services (ATCEMS) and Austin Fire (AFD) members responded to the shooting scene and provided the service member with first aid. The service member survived his injuries and was eventually released from a local area hospital.
 
APD’s Robbery Unit and Violent Crimes Task Force officers investigated the robberies and identified the suspects as Alijah Rodriguez and two juveniles, who were known to the Robbery Unit due to multiple aggravated robberies, aggravated assaults, and other firearm related offenses.

On September 22, 2026, APD’s Violent Crimes Task Force and members of the SWAT team conducted simultaneous tactical operations and took the three suspects into custody.
 
Due to active-duty Army service members being victims, Special Agents with the Central Texas Field Office of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division provided crucial assistance in the investigation. 
 
The APD Robbery Unit would like to thank members of the downtown business community who provided surveillance footage that aided in solving these violent crimes.

Anyone with information about this incident should call the APD Robbery tip line at (512) 974-5092. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477.