ENERGY – Energy and Herrin police officers along with Williamson County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of an Armed Robbery and Assault near an apartment complex on Pine Street in Energy around 11:30 Thursday morning.

According to Energy Police Chief Shawn Ladd, officers arrived and spoke with the victim, Serena Abbott of Marion. Abbott said that after a referral from a friend, she was looking to rent an apartment when a black man wearing a mask approached her, displayed a handgun, demanded money, struck her in the face with the weapon, and fled on foot. It’s not known how much cash the man took from Abbott. An ambulance was called to the scene. Abbott was treated for minor injuries before being taken to the Energy Police Department to speak with detectives.

As a precaution, Unity Christian School was put on lockdown.

Officers on scene conducted extensive searches, including using a police K9, and spoke to several potential witnesses. The search and witness reports corroborated Abbott’s version of the incident. Further investigation revealed the likelihood that the suspect had left Energy in a vehicle and was no longer an immediate threat to anyone in the area and furthermore, that this was most likely a “targeted” action directed at Abbott rather than a random act.

Energy Police requested the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department Investigations Unit to take control of the investigation. Those investigators are now following up potential leads on the suspect.

Energy Police would like to thank Herrin Police and the sheriff’s office for their assistance.