A Monmouth University student is facing an armed robbery charge in connection to an incident on the campus Tuesday night, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced on Wednesday.

Keith L. Williams, 18, of Baltimore, Maryland, a student at the university, has been charged with first-degree armed robbery.

The background … 

At approximately 9:17 p.m., on Tuesday Nov. 1, someone approached two female Monmouth University students who were walking on campus.

The person, who was wearing dark clothing and a mask, demanded that the girls turn over their cell phones. The girls attempted to walk away and the individual produced what appeared to be a handgun and pointed it in their direction.

The females then began to sprint in the opposite direction of the allegedly armed individual, who ultimately also fled the area, prior to obtaining any personal property from them.

Once in a safe location, one of the victims called 911, which alerted Monmouth University Police of the incident within moments. Based upon the fact that an armed suspect was believed to be on campus, police and university personnel put a lockdown in place to ensure the safety of the students and anyone else that might have been in danger.

An investigation was launched into the incident by the Monmouth University Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

Ultimately, the individual responsible for the armed robbery was apprehended in a campus dormitory. Police also recovered the weapon, which was determined to be an imitation handgun, but strongly resembled a black, semiautomatic handgun.

Bail was set by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard W. English at $100,000, with no 10 percent option, no victim contact and an order not to return to the scene.

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Christopher J. Decker, Director of the Office’s Major Crimes Bureau.

Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and state law.

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office