Karina Barriga Albring
News Editor
A Keene State College student was held at knife point at approximately 12:15 a.m. on Thursday, March 21, around Holloway Hall following a failed drug transaction.
Justin Bean, 19, from Keene, N.H. was arrested and charged for attempted armed robbery, simple assault, receiving stolen property and two counts of criminal intent after trying to steal marijuana from a KSC student according to Keene Police Department Lieutenant, Steven M. Stewart.
Lieutenant Stewart said that Justin Bean had arranged to buy marijuana from the student, but “at the moment of the transaction, Bean decided to try to punch the student in the face and steal the drug,” Stewart said.
He added, “there was a dispute and scissors or knives were involved.”
KSC Campus Safety received a call from a Residential Assistant in Carle Hall reporting an individual with a knife, according to the director of Campus Safety, Amanda Warman.
Stewart said that no one was injured during the event.
Also, Stewart said no students were arrested.
Later on Thursday morning, KPD arrested Bean at McDonald’s. According to Lieutenant Stewart, Bean also had a sign from a local store in Keene in his possession. “This is where the possession of stolen property charges came from,” Stewart said. When Bean was arrested, he was also violating his bail conditions by being with an unidentified person that he was not supposed to be with, according to the Keene Police Department.
Bean was charged on March 9 with shoplifting. Also, he was arrested on November 12, 2012 for combat after an accident. Bean was out on bail from his previous charges.
Justin Bean appeared in court today.
This is the second robbery reported in Keene, N.H. this week. According to the Keene Sentinel, in the early evening of Tuesday, March 19, a robbery at gunpoint occurred in the Payless Shoe Store on West Street. The suspect of the robbery was described as a white male, about 5-foot-8-inches tall, wearing a black knit hat.
Further information will be provided when available.