Ex-SHU Basketball Player Charged in Irvington Ave. Robbery

Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert Laurino and South Orange Police Chief James Chelel have jointly announced the arrest of Robert Mitchell, 23, of Brooklyn, a Seton Hall junior and forward on the men's basketball team until he was removed from the team on Sunday evening.

Mitchell made 15 starts this season and averaged 8.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. It's believed that the decision to drop him from the roster was due to critical comments about head coach Bobby Gonzalez, who was fired on Wednesday after four years at Seton Hall. Following the Pirates' 68-56 Big East tournament loss to Notre Dame last Wednesday, Mitchell told The Herald News, "It's hard to stay consistent as a player, when the coach isn't consistent."

Mitchell allegedly entered a residence on Irvington Avenue on Monday, March 15, and forced eight occupants to move from various rooms into a common area at gunpoint and to turn over their cash—approximately $300—as well as personal items including credit cards, cell phones, debit cards, driver's licenses and digital cameras.

Mitchell then allegedly fled the scene in a vehicle, which has since been recovered. He was arrested on Tuesday at approximately 1:23 p.m., when he was spotted by South Orange police officers in the vicinity of South Orange and Poe avenues in Newark. The investigation focused on Mitchell because he was known to some of the occupants of the multi-family home, according to Chief Chelel.

He was charged with kidnapping (first degree), since he allegedly moved residents from the downstairs apartment to the upstairs apartment; robbery (first degree); burglary (third degree) and weapons offenses (second and third degree). A first degree offense carries 10 to 20 years in prison; second degree carries five to 10 years; and third degree carries three to five years.

Police are still looking for Mitchell's alleged accomplice in the robbery/kidnapping, according to Chief Chelel.

Bail was set at $650,000 by the Honorable Amilkar Velez-Lopez, JMC. The arraignment is scheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m.

"We're shocked and saddened by the news," said Seton Hall Director of Athletics Joseph Quinlan.