Authorities said a group of thugs armed with guns and hammers broke into a home in Queens, briefly holding the residents hostage and injuring two people.
Police say the shocking incident happened just before 2:30 a.m. Saturday near Marathon Parkway and Cullman Avenue.
The violent robbers struck a 43-year-old man in the leg with a hammer and punched a 71-year-old woman in the face, according to the NYPD. A 32-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman and two children, a 13-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl, were also in the home but were unharmed, police said.
According to the NYPD, police responding to a 911 call encountered a woman who had fled the home holding a baby. The 40-year-old woman called for help and told police that three men had broken into her home and that her family was still inside.
Police said the three suspects escaped through a kitchen window with an unknown amount of cash, but were arrested after a short foot pursuit. It is unclear how long they were inside.
“I have no emotions to speak of right now,” a shocked resident of the home later told The Post.
NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry touted the department’s swift response to prevent further unrest, including deploying a large number of drones to the scene.
“Our drone responded to the scene and provided invaluable assistance during the apprehension of the suspect,” Daughtry said in a post on X. “It’s worth noting that at the time, several family members were being held against their will by three individuals.”
Three suspects were arrested — two 34-year-old men and one 39-year-old man — and charges are pending, an NYPD spokesman said. The injured adult refused medical treatment at the scene, the spokesman added.
Police are still sorting out the details of this shocking crime.
“Thanks to the quick and coordinated efforts of our Emergency Services Unit and the dedicated officers from the 109th and 111th Precincts, all three suspects were arrested without incident within a short period of time,” Daughtry wrote to X.
Serious crimes in the 111th Precinct through Aug. 11 were down 13% compared to the same period last year, according to NYPD data. Robbery was down 18%.
