NEW ORLEANS — Monday afternoon, Michael and Earl Benjamin-Robinson were inside their home in Gentilly, going about their day as usual, with no idea what was taking place right on their doorstep.
“I went downstairs, and they said we’ve just been robbed,” Benjamin-Robinson said.
Chilling doorbell video captures the moment a man walks onto the couple’s front porch, points a gun at construction workers, and demands cash.
When one of the victims walked to the car to give him her wallet, he struck her, robbed her, and took off.
“Seeing him hit her was very upsetting,” Earl-Robinson said.
Just minutes before, security footage shows a white vehicle passing by the house. Benjamin-Robinson believes that the car will help police identify the suspect.
“I feel confident about the next steps of them hopefully finding this individual,” Benjamin-Robinson
During his twelve years in the home, he says he’s never seen anything like this.
“I wouldn’t say that it makes me afraid, but it makes me more cognizant of the environment that I live in,” Benjamin-Robinson said.
When the workers return on Wednesday, Robinson says he and his husband will encourage them to prioritize their mental health, offering them free counseling services.
“ It’s traumatic, especially for the young lady who was struck. My heart goes out to her. I wanted to give her a sense of safety, as best as I could. I hope I was able to do that,” Benjamin-Robinson said.
For now, the family is waiting for answers and trying to keep the incident in perspective.
“I do believe in the goodness of all of us. I’m going to remain centered in that space, but I hope the young man is brought to justice,” Benjamin-Robinson said.
The robbery is still under investigation, but the homeowner tells us that police think this may be related to other similar robberies in the area. If you know anything about the incident, call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.
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