'It's possible anywhere:' Police investigate 2 armed robberies, minutes apart, in Riverwest

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee police confirmed Monday, Aug. 19 they're investigating two armed robberies that happened Monday morning in the city's Riverwest neighborhood, just minutes apart.

Police said around 1 a.m. near Bartlett Avenue and North Avenue,  a man was sitting in his vehicle when an unknown number of people approached, forcing the man out, and speeding away in his vehicle.

Vickie Al-Awami

About 15 minutes later and a mile away, people were walking near Meinecke Avenue and Weil Street when police said they were confronted by individuals who demanded what they had, and then took off.

"Kind of surprising that we didn't hear anything," said Vickie Al-Awami.

Al-Awami has lived in her home near Humboldt Boulevard and Meinecke Avenue for nearly her entire life.

Totianna Edwards

"Normally, living here on the corner and having the windows open, you can kind of hear what is going on outside, or I'm looking outside quite often, just to pay attention," said Al-Awami.

Paying attention is what Totianna Edwards said she does as she walks home from work. She said she's run into strangers in the neighborhood, sometimes trying to follow her.

"I never really experienced someone trying to attack me over in this area," said Edwards. "I feel like it's possible to happen anywhere."

Police were looking into whether the two incidents Monday morning were connected.