Officers Arrest 2 Robbery Suspects with Assistance from the Drone as First Responder Pilot Program

The MNPD’s Drone as First Responder (DFR) pilot program greatly assisted Hermitage Precinct patrol officers this afternoon as they responded to an active robbery outside a business at 931 Robinson Road.

Officers viewed the drone footage at the scene which showed the incident, including one of the suspects, Antonio Crews, 49, with a boxcutter in one hand while holding the male victim by his shirt. The victim reported that he used a cash app to put $200 into Crews’ account and gave $100 cash to the second suspect, Donavon Steele, 23. Both men were taken into custody. Steele was in possession of the cash which was returned to the victim. With assistance from the drone overhead, officers recovered the boxcutter under a stack of pallets near where the robbery occurred.

Crews, of Nashville, is charged with aggravated robbery. Steele, of Clarksville, is charged with robbery (acting in concert). Both men remain jailed on $25,000 bond.

The DFR test program covers an area within a two-mile radius of the Madison Precinct, from where the drones are launched.