Federal agents who were investigating a string of armed robberies across Detroit caught a break in the case after they connected the shoes worn by a popular TikTok user in his viral videos to each crime.
As reported by the Detroit News, Chozen Terrell-Hannah, 22, was arrested by FBI agents on Wednesday and later confessed to robbing four convenience stores over a three-month period. Investigators were aided by over a dozen videos posted to Terrell-Hannah’s TikTok account ChozenWrld, which has more than 149,000 followers. One of his dancing videos proved to be especially helpful, as authorities were able to connect a pair of white Nikes with red spots directly to the scene of the crime.
Terrell-Hannah is charged with robbery affecting interstate commerce and possessing a firearm during a violent crime. He faces more than 20 years behind bars.
All four crimes were described in a similar fashion. The first was reported on Dec. 1 at a Commerce Township 7-Eleven, with the suspect carrying a handgun. Similar crimes then occurred on Jan. 13, Jan. 26, and Feb. 1, with witnesses describing the same outfit each time. For the latter robbery, which occurred at an Old West Tobacco store, investigators noticed the suspect had pink or red hair peeking out from his black ski mask.
An anonymous tip led investigators to Terrell-Hannah’s TikTok account, with an FBI task officer writing in a criminal complaint stating his physical characteristics were consistent with eyewitness accounts, though some eyewitnesses described him as a white man. The task force officer said in the complaint, “Based on my training and experience, I believe due to [Terrell-Hannah’s] light complexion, the victims of armed robberies, observing him under the circumstances and wearing the clothing described above, could describe him as either white or black. … These shoes are similar in appearance to the shoes worn in the above referenced armed robberies.”
From there, investigators conducted surveillance outside Terrell-Hannah’s home, and raided his home on Wednesday, leading to “the seizure of items believed to be used in the armed robberies.”
“[Chozen Terrell-Hannah] admitted to committing all four of the above-described armed robberies and acknowledged using the black backpack with a floral pattern in all four of the armed robberies,” the officer concluded.
