Four masked men are being sought by police after a violent home invasion near Avenue N and East 108th Street in East New York left a victim hospitalized and others zip-tied inside their own home. The robbery happened according to police on Saturday, with investigators saying the suspects attacked a 64-year-old man before fleeing in two dark-colored minivans.
Investigators say the four male suspects pistol-whipped the 64-year-old man during the break-in, causing lacerations, according to News 12 | Brooklyn. The man was taken to Brookdale Hospital and was listed in stable condition, the outlet reported. The suspects also allegedly made off with the man's cellphone and keys before speeding away.
A second victim, a 54-year-old man, was also tied up during the robbery and suffered minor injuries to his wrists, per the same account. He refused medical attention at the scene. Police say the investigation remains ongoing as they continue searching for the four masked men responsible.
Conflicting Reports on Victims and Location
A separate account of what appears to be a similar incident, published by PIX11, describes a home invasion that happened around 4 a.m. on 80th Street, in which suspects broke in through a front window and zip-tied two men and a woman. In that version, a 34-year-old man was pistol-whipped while a 41-year-old man was punched in the face; the woman was not injured. PIX11 reported the suspects stole watches, designer bags and cash before fleeing in a dark-colored vehicle. The discrepancies in victim ages, injuries and stolen property between the two accounts have not been resolved, and it is unclear whether they describe the same incident or two separate ones.
News 12 separately reported that a home invasion sent three people to the hospital, another detail that conflicts with the single-hospitalization account tied to the 64-year-old victim. No suspect names, photographs, charges or arrests have been announced in connection with either report.
Part of a Troubling Pattern in Brooklyn and Queens
Violent home invasions have repeatedly struck Brooklyn and Queens in recent months. In February, News 12 reported that investigators in East New York sought the public's help after a robbery that started with a knock at the door and ended with more than $120,000 taken. And in Queens earlier this month, one person was arrested while three others were being sought in connection with a home invasion robbery, according to the New York Daily News. That incident saw robbers burst into a home near East 153rd Street and the Horace Harding Expressway in Flushing around 2:30 a.m. and rough up a 45-year-old man inside.
Police have not released a motive or indicated whether any of these incidents are connected. For now, the search continues for the four masked men tied to the East New York case, as investigators work to piece together what happened in the early morning hours.
