A late-night home invasion on Bedford Street has East Bridgewater residents on edge after police say three masked men stormed a house, robbed the occupant at gunpoint, and took off into the night.
The victim called 911 just after 10:19 p.m. on April 13 to report they had been robbed and assaulted at gunpoint inside a home at 52 Bedford St. Officers arrived to find the suspects already gone, kicking off a multi-week hunt for the alleged robbers.
According to the East Bridgewater Police Department, detectives eventually zeroed in on a suspect vehicle and secured arrest warrants for 22-year-old Brian Price of Fall River, 27-year-old Jihad Bynum of Fall River, and 18-year-old Yannick Goncalves of Brockton.
Bynum was picked up on April 30 and later released on $10,000 bail. Price and Goncalves were taken into custody on May 14. Police said Price had removed a court-ordered GPS ankle monitor and was actively evading law enforcement before his arrest.
"This investigation highlights the effectiveness of interagency collaboration and a shared commitment to holding those who commit violent crimes accountable," Chief Michael Jenkins said in a statement.
Investigation and local reporting
Local outlets have been tracking the case as it moved from frantic 911 call to coordinated arrests. Reporting in the Newport Dispatch and the Fall River Reporter outlines how the Holbrook Regional Emergency Communications Center handled the initial 911 call and how investigators leaned on search warrants and help from other agencies to identify the three men now facing charges.
Charges and what comes next
All three men have been charged with Masked Armed Robbery, Assault with Intent to Rob While Armed with a Firearm, and Conspiracy, according to the East Bridgewater Police Department.
Court dates have not yet been announced. The cases will move through the Massachusetts criminal court system, where the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
How neighbors can help
Police are still interested in anything that might fill in the gaps from that night, whether it is a tip, a suspicious vehicle sighting, or security footage from around Bedford Street.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the East Bridgewater Police Department directly, or call 911 in an emergency. Tips can also be shared with the regional task forces that assisted in the investigation.
