At Least Six Robberies Have Targeted Students Around Dallas ISD Schools in Oak Cliff

Dallas ISD students at four Oak Cliff campuses have been the target of armed robberies in recent weeks, officials said Monday.The robberies all share similarities: Armed robbers targeted the students after school hours near campuses and demanded their cell phones and belongings. The robberies began about two weeks ago and have occurred at Justin F. Kimball High School, Franklin D. Roosevelt High School, Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Middle School and L.V. Stockard Middle School.Police didn’t have suspect information Monday.The news upset some parents who felt the district wasn't transparent enough about safety concerns in the last two weeks — even as the district defended its communications about the robberies.Diana Guerra, a mother of a DISD middle school student who was robbed Friday near L.V. Stockard Middle School, was upset to learn on Monday about several other robberies.Last week, Guerra said her son, seventh-grader Jesse Guerra, was walking with two other friends and a female student after school when they were approached by a dark Chevrolet Impala full of men. One of them got out of the car and demanded for boys' cell phones, Jesse's mother said. After they said no, the man threatened the boys and pulled out a handgun. Guerra said her son gave his phone and ran off with his friends.Guerra said the district had sent a letter on Friday warning of an increase of “unwanted activity” near campuses in Oak Cliff. The letter described the robberies generally, but didn't make mention of any locations.“Even if it’s one small incident, alert the parents and let them know,” Guerra said.DISD spokeswoman Robyn Harris said in an interview that the robbery happened just as district officials were preparing their Friday letter.“We would have never been able to predict that another incident would have occurred that exact same day,” Harris said in the interview. “We want to assure them that the students are always in our best interest.”Harris said Kimball High School, Roosevelt High School and Holmes Middle School students received a letter about the increased robberies the week before the Friday letter was sent out.“We work alongside the campus administrators,” she said. “Certain campuses may choose to send the information out. Others may not.”   Continue reading...