Richmond Highway-area man charged in D.C. taxi cab robberies

April 6, 2018 Police and Fire

Jude Hammad, an amateur MMA fighter from the Richmond Highway area, was arrested earlier this week. (YouTube)

A man from the Richmond Highway area is accused of being involved in three taxi cab robberies in the span of just over two hours last month in Washington D.C.

Jude Hammad, 28, was taken into custody on April 2 after a warrant for his arrest was issued on March 29, according to online court records. He faces two counts of armed robbery and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon (gun), according to the Metropolitan Police Department. Hammad is currently being held without bond.

The MPD says that Hammad and at least one other person held up three taxi cabs on March 27. The second individual is still at large, an MPD police spokeswoman said Friday.

The first robbery happened in the 2000 block of T Street Northwest about 2:48 a.m. Police say one of the suspects entered the cab and pulled a gun on the driver. The suspects then assaulted the driver, took property from him and fled, according to police.

Less than an hour later, another cab driver was held up in similar fashion in the 900 block of Massachusetts Avenue Northwest. One of the suspects — police did not specify if they believe it was Hammad or someone else — got in the cab and pulled a gun. Both suspects then assaulted the driver, according to police, and fled with money.

Another cab was then robbed at 3:36 a.m. in the 1100 block of 22nd Street Northwest. In this case, police said three suspects approached the cab before one got inside and pulled a handgun. The suspects fled before taking anything, however.

Hammad lives in the 22306 zip code, according to an MPD spokeswoman. He also grew up in the area and attended West Potomac High School and Bryant Alternative High School, according to a source.

A successful amateur mixed-martial arts fighter, Hammad had been scheduled to fight for a title belt this weekend in Manassas for the Mix It Up Sports promotion.

Hammad is due in court again on May 2.