A Vicksburg man “on a crime spree” was being sought this morning for two armed robberies in the same neighborhood within three weeks.

Johnny Taylor Jr., 20, 1501 Military Ave., and two other men are accused of robbing a 44-year-old man playing basketball at a park at Ken Karyl Avenue and Rainey Street at 7:37 p.m., police Capt. Bobby Stewart said. Taylor also is the prime suspect in a robbery on Nov. 16 in Marcus Bottom, Stewart said. Separately, he was the victim in a shooting on Sept. 25.

“It appears in the past month that he’s wanted to go on a crime spree,” Stewart said

On Monday, Taylor, Melvin Harris, 19, 105 Evergreen St., Port Gibson, and Bobby Bunton, 20, 209 Demby Drive, were accused of pulling a gun and stealing a Blackberry cellphone valued at $100 and a wallet containing $600 from the man, Stewart said. The victim was able to identify the suspects, Stewart said.

“I want to get him off the street before he hurts somebody,” Stewart said.

Taylor is accused of stealing $800 Nov. 16 from a man walking in the 2500 block of Halls Ferry Road, just blocks from the Ken Karyl park, Stewart said.

Both addresses and Taylor’s home are in Marcus Bottom.

In the earlier robbery, a man approached the victim and demanded the money at gunpoint before fleeing south toward Bowmar Avenue, Stewart said.

On Sept. 25, three men got out of a maroon vehicle and fired four shots at Taylor outside Five Star Food Mart, 1108 Bowmar Ave., Stewart said.

After being shot, Taylor walked to a house at 2711 Drummond St., where a resident called 911. No suspects have been identified in the shooting, Stewart said.

The store is about five blocks from Taylor’s home and closer to where the robberies occurred.

Because of the number of gun-related crimes Taylor is believed to have been involved in during the past few months, he needs to be taken off the street for the safety of the public, Chief Walter Armstrong said.

“It think he’s a very dangerous individual, and he should be considered armed and dangerous,” Armstrong said.

Anyone with information on any of the three men should call Vicksburg police at 601-636-2511 or Central Mississippi Crime Stoppers at 601-355-8477, Armstrong said.

Crime Stoppers will offer a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of a felony suspect. Callers remain anonymous and do not have to testify in court.