Teen Robbery Suspect Has Lengthy Criminal History

Azim Brown, the teenager who surrendered to after a brief standoff early Friday, was no stranger to the two males he allegedly confronted with an unlicensed handgun about six-and-a-half hours before.

Court records say the males, whose ages are not given, recognized the young man with a stocky build wearing a white T-shirt and black shorts. They also described him as being 18. He’s 16. And despite his age, he is being prosecuted as an adult, in part because of his lengthy juvenile criminal history.

All three were at the tunnel at the south end of the Fahy Bridge about 6:50pm Thursday.

The two males knew the teen’s first name was Azim and that he lives in north Bethlehem near center city (his address is 604 High St., Apt. 1). The records say Brown is a student at Liberty High, but they don’t say if the males knew that about him.

The records – based on a criminal complaint filed by Officer Gregory Huff – go on:

• One of the males said Brown asked him for a “boogie,” meaning a cigarette. The male pulled two cigarettes from his pocket and began handing them to Brown.
• That’s when Brown pulled a small handgun with a brown grip – the weapon may have been a semiautomatic -- from his waistband. He held it in his right hand and pointed it at the male’s stomach.
• ”Run your pockets,” Brown commanded, then he reached into the male’s pockets and stole two packs of cigarettes worth about $8 and a Sprint Olympus cell phone worth about $200.
• Brown then walked away with the items toward Adams Street on the SouthSide. The second male, meanwhile, had been standing near his friend while Brown had been pointing the gun.
• The males talked to Huff about 7:30pm at police headquarters. After they described what happened, Huff showed each male – one on one – a photo lineup of eight males matching the description of the young man who confronted them. Both indicated “within seconds” that the young man was Azim Brown.
• Huff also noted that assistant district attorney Patricia Mulqueen authorized prosecuting Brown as an adult because of the severity of the alleged crime and Brown’s “lengthy juvenile criminal history.”
• Information from the Bethlehem police blog – – said police obtained a warrant for Brown’s arrest, then set up surveillance at his home and also at a relative’s house at 510 E. Fourth St.
• Officers saw Brown enter the E. Fourth Street home a little after midnight, but he did not respond to police commands to leave the house.
• Police tactical and negotiating teams were called to the scene at 12:46am. But with the tactical team assembling outside at 1:16 a.m., Brown surrendered “without incident.”

The court records list the following prior offenses connected to Brown:

• 2010, retail theft/threats and disorderly conduct/criminal mischief.
• 2011, firearms without a license.
• 2012, simple assault.

A fact sheet in the records list the following under the word “addictions” – MJ (marijuana), depression, bipolar and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

Brown was charged with two counts of robbery and one count each of theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, firearms not to be carried without a license, possessing instruments of crime, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

He was arraigned at 7:40am Friday by on-duty District Judge Robert Hawke of Lehigh Township and committed to Northampton County Prison after failing to post $75,000 bail.