Fall River drug deal turns into armed robbery, leads to arrest of two city men

A drug deal gone wrong Monday evening resulted in the arrest of two Fall River men.

According to Detective John Robinson, at approximately 9:30 p.m., while patrolling the area of Taco Bell/Friendly’s in the Fall River Shopping Center, Uniform Division Officers Holly Brett and David St. Laurent observed suspicious activity being conducted between two cars. As soon as two men exited one of the vehicles, both cars fled in separate directions. One vehicle fled towards Stop & Shop and stopped in the lot.

As the officers approached the vehicle, two men exited and fled on foot. Officers Brett and St. Laurent approached the now abandoned vehicle and observed marijuana and cash strewn about the inside of the vehicle. It was also observed that the vehicle was caught up on a curb which may have prevented it from fleeing the area.

After investigating, it was determined that the two men that fled the disabled car on foot and the four men inside the other vehicle that fled, were in the process of robbing the two men that exited a vehicle initially, before the two cars fled. A handgun was shown during the robbery, according to the victims. Both victims are from Fall River. Taken was a backpack with cash and marijuana.

After a search of the area, the two men who fled the disabled vehicle were captured, identified and arrested, according to Robinson.

Ty Von Smith-Hazard, 18, of Middle Street, Fall River, was charged with Armed Robbery and Distribution of a Class D Substance. Michael Klein, 18, of North Main Street, Fall River, was charged with Armed Robbery, Distribution of a Class D Substance, and Leaving the Scene of Property Damage.