MANSFIELD — Four men were arrested Friday morning on Burns Street after authorities connected them to a home invasion and shooting incident just hours prior, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.
Maj. Joe Masi said deputies responded to a home-invasion call Thursday night at Laver Road. Deputies learned there were at least two suspects involved in the robbery that ended in a stolen cell phone and another item.
“About 20 minutes later on Ford Road, someone called in a suspicious vehicle and the caller approached the vehicle,” Masi said.
As the caller described the vehicle and the suspects inside, sheriff’s deputies were able to connect the two incidents.
“But as the caller approached the vehicle, the guys basically took up, backed up and hit a tree. They left car parts behind and the victim, the caller, said he was shot at — about three rounds,” Masi said.
Deputies were later able to locate the vehicle on Burns Road at an apartment complex. When deputies arrived, around 5:30 a.m. Friday, they secured the scene and called in for backup.
Ontario Police Department brought a mobile command unit. Mansfield Police Department responded with ASORT and a hostage negotiation team.
“The HNT (hostage negotiation team) was able to make contact with one suspect inside and he came out, we put him in custody,” Masi said.
Three others filed out after the first, he said.
All four were transported to the sheriff’s office for further questioning. Masi said deputies were executing a search warrant of the apartment and the vehicle shortly after the suspects were taken into custody.
Masi said no weapon or bullet casings had been recovered as of Friday morning around 11 a.m. The suspects, he said, did not appear to be intoxicated when they were arrested.
“This is an example of great cooperation between us and Mansfield Police Department and Ontario Police Department,” Masi said.
