More robberies on the Katy Trail

The spate of violent robberies and attacks in the Oak Lawn area seems to have died down over the last month or so. But don’t be lulled into complacency.
Dallas police are investigating two robberies that happened in the last week along the Katy Trail, which is, if not actually in the gayborhood, is at least gayborhood-adjacent.
Police say the two offenses — one on Jan. 9 in Reverchon Park and the other on Jan. 13 near the American Airlines Center — do not appear to be related. But for those who have been paying attention to the attacks in Oak Lawn, one of the two sounds eerily familiar.
The first attack happened about 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 9, as a 31-year-old female jogger left the trail and entered Reverchon Park. Police say a black male stepped in front of her and began yelling at her, “Give me all your money!”
Police say the way threw a $5 bill at the man, sprayed him with mace and ran away. The suspect did not follow her. He is described as about 23 years old, 6 feet tall and 200 pounds. He was wearing a gray goodie, gray beanie and black headphones.
Because the suspect didn’t threaten the woman and did not display a weapon, police are investigating the incident as a third degree felony.
The second attack happened Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 4:24 p.m. in the 1600 block of Lyte Street. The victim, this time a man, had just come of Katy Trail near the AAC when he was approached by two black men who “engaged him in conversation,” according to police. The victim kept walking but one of the men attacked, hitting him in the head with “an unknown object,” knocking him to the ground.
The victim managed to get up and begin running, but the suspects chased and caught him. They slammed him to the ground and stole his cell phone, but then ran off when witnesses intervened, police said.
The first suspect in this attack was described as about 19 years old and 6 feet tall with short hair. He was wearing all black. The second suspect is described as a black man, 16 to 19 years old, and about 5-feet-8. He weighed about 150 pounds and had lighter-toned skin.
Detectives investigating the incidents have asked that anyone with information on either offense call 214-671-3584.