The St. Joseph Police Department said two suspects are in custody and a third is being sought as a person of interest after five situations around town that prompted police responses in the past 36 hours.
Capt. Jeff Wilson said police are investigating a series of four home invasions since Sunday evening and a fifth situation that took place Monday evening at a home in the area of 16th and Olive where a man was arrested.
Two suspects, a 20-year-old and a juvenile have since been taken into custody in connection with the incidents. A third person of interest is currently being sought by police.
“They started off Sunday evening around 11 o’clock,” Wilson said. “We received a call of a home invasion in the area of Highland Meadows. During that incident a couple of subjects entered the residences and assaulted the occupants there resulting in minor injuries.”
Then shortly after 1 a.m. Monday another home invasion was reported in the 6600 block of Washington. The individuals were reported to have been armed with weapons and demanded items from the residents inside.
Around 8 a.m. Monday officers responded to the 800 block of Park Lane for another home invasion. Weapons and other items were reported stolen during that incident.
Shortly after, another call of a home invasion was reported on S 13th St. During that home invasion a man was shot several times and transported for treatment of what police described as non life-threatening injuries. Wilson said the victim is believed to be recovering at this time.
Wilson said a man reported being shot Monday while walking down the street in the midtown area and hit in the buttocks during crossfire between two vehicles.
“The particulars as to how he was shot at this time remain questionable,” Wilson said. “He is in our custody at this time.”
A fifth incident at a home in the 900 block of S 16th was reported Monday night around 7 p.m. where the 20-year-old St. Joseph man who claimed to have been shot during the crossfire was arrested in connection with the series of home invasions.
“This was not a home invasion per se, we believe that these individuals were there to see somebody else and were maybe even possibly invited there but there was several subjects there and one of them was reported to be armed with some weapons,” Wilson said. “A resident there had left their home and went to the neighbor’s home and reported that several individuals had walked into their home and were armed with weapons.”
Tuesday afternoon around 12:30 police surrounded a home in the 900 block of Corby where a 16-year-old not from St. Joseph was taken into custody in connection with the home invasions.
Police are currently searching for a third person of interest in the case. Wilson said at this point in the investigation authorities don’t believe the home invasions are random, nor is there a motive that is being released.