Suspect In Custody For Armed Robbery of Chicken and Waffles at Pasadena Restaurant

An ex-con who police say robbed a Pasadena Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles restaurant of food at gunpoint last month after being denied service for failing to wear a face covering is already in custody for allegedly pulling a gun on two homicide detectives investigating a murder in Irwindale two weeks later, authorities announced Thursday.

Steve Carlos Williams, 43, of Duarte, has been linked to the bizarre Feb. 3 robbery at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles, 830 N. Lake Ave. in Pasadena, according to Pasadena police Lt. William Grisafe.

After he was identified as the alleged robber, investigators discovered he had already been arrested on Feb. 23 by deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Temple Station on suspicion of attempted murder, according to Pasadena police and sheriff’s officials. Further details regarding the attempted murder case were not available Thursday, and charges had not been filed in connection with the arrest.

The fast food robbery unfolded about 5:40 p.m. on Feb. 3, police said.

“A preliminary investigation revealed the suspect had engaged in a verbal argument with an employee over the restaurant’s facial covering requirement,” police said in a written statement. “The suspect refused to comply and for unknown reasons, produced a handgun while threatening the employees. The suspect demanded a bag of food items and after receiving the filled bag, he took this food and several other food orders, which were waiting for customers to pick up.”

Here is surveillance video of the Roscoe’s Chicken n Waffle robbery. The guy walks in with a gun, through the back, to the kitchen. The guy told the cook, “PUT THE CHICKEN IN THE BAG.” I can’t make this up.

Hear from the cook at 11p on @ABC7 pic.twitter.com/0h0sKmXFy4

— Veronica Miracle (@ABC7Veronica) February 4, 2021

The gunman then got into a car and drove away, officials said.

But store surveillance cameras captured images of the maskless robber, and police collected “other evidentiary items,” as well, according to the statement. Following a “tireless” investigation, detectives identified Williams as the alleged robber.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has since filed two counts of robbery, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm against Williams, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records. He was scheduled to appear in the Alhambra branch of L.A. County Superior Court for an arraignment hearing on Wednesday.

The recent arrest took place on Feb. 23 as two homicide detectives were conducting follow-up investigation into the fatal stabbing of a woman, apparently with a pickaxe, in a riverbed near the 2800 block of East Huntington Drive in Irwindale that took place three days prior, Lt. Barry Hall of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau said.

The detectives went to the scene of the killing and encountered Williams, who was known to investigators by his moniker of “Blacksican” and often frequented the riverbed, he said.

As the detectives approached Williams, he pulled a gun on them, Hall said.

“They have a standoff for a brief moment,” he said. Williams ultimately dropped the gun and was wrestled into custody by the detectives. He was determined to be under the influence of PCP and booked on suspicion of attempted murder.

A motive was not clear, and any possible involvement by Williams in the killing three days prior remained under investigation, officials said. He had not been labeled a suspect in the homicide.

Criminal charges had not been filed Thursday in connection with the Irwindale incident, records show.

In addition to the pending attempted murder case, Williams has a lengthy criminal history in the county dating back nearly two decades.

He was convicted of drug possession in 2019, 2018, twice in 2014, 2013 and 2012, according to L.A. County Superior Court records.

Prior convictions also include resisting or obstructing police in 2017, giving false ID to police in 2016, auto theft in 2014, burglary in 2008 as well las grand theft, possession of drugs for sales and possession of an illegal weapon in 2003.

Bail for Williams was set at $375,000, records show.

Anyone with information was urged to contact the Pasadena Police Department at (626) 744-4501. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.