ASU Police and the U.S. Marshal Major Felony Task Force arrested a 26-year-old Mesa man Wednesday in connection with an armed robbery that occurred March 3 on the Tempe campus.
Shelven Jason Gasaway, Jr. was arrested outside his apartment complex in Mesa at 10:20 a.m., ASU Police spokesman Cmdr. Jim Hardina said.
The armed robbery occurred March 3 around 10:20 p.m. in the Rural Road parking structure on the southeast side of campus.
Police believe Gasaway approached a male ASU student with a handgun, pushed the weapon into the victim’s stomach and demanded his belongings. According to court documents, when Gasaway was not satisfied with what the student gave him, he cocked the hammer back on the revolver and demanded more.
Gasaway is suspected of taking the student’s money clip and cell phone.
ASU Police searched the Tempe campus that evening and informed the residence halls of the incident, Hardina said.
Police obtained a surveillance photo of Gasaway taken at a Circle K across the street from the parking structure. The photo was given to the media and ASU Police detectives were able to follow up on responses they received from the public.
Residents of Gasaway’s apartment complex located near Southern Avenue and South Country Club Drive in Mesa recognized Gasaway from the news and called ASU Police, according to a press release.
Further investigation into Gasaway revealed he had a felony warrant from California for a sex offense and assault with a deadly weapon, police reported.
A search of Gasaway’s apartment revealed the gun used in the robbery and the victim’s driver’s license and credit cards, police reported.
In addition to the warrant, Gasaway was booked into Maricopa County Jail on several charges including armed robbery, misconduct involving weapons and a sex offender registration violation, according to a release.
Reach the reporter at danielle.legler@asu.edu
