Three sought in home invasion
Nathaniel Johnson
Sheldon Morris
The home on West Hallam Avenue in Washington where an armed home invasion occurred Wednesday.
Two Washington men are wanted by city police in connection with a home invasion involving gunfire Wednesday night while five young girls were in the residence.
Charges have yet to be filed in the case, but Washington police said the department was seeking suspects Sheldon Morris, 19, of 860 Broad Ave., on a Monessen arrest warrant, and Nathaniel Johnson, 21, of 103 Maple Ave., on a probation violation.
A third man who had a semiautomatic handgun has yet to be identified in the robbery, which occurred about 9:30 p.m. at the 69 W. Hallam Ave. home of Dustin Shane Phillps and his five daughters, who range in age from 2 to 9, police said.
Police said one of the girls let the suspects into the residence through a rear door after recognizing Morris and Johnson and believing them to be her father’s friends.
The suspects went upstairs, and police said Phillips thought they wanted to play his video games.
One of the men told the children to stay in the upstairs hallway, and the others told the children they were not going to hurt them, police said.
The robbers allegedly demanded Phillips give them money from his federal income tax return, but he instead offered them a $100 H&R Block gift card. Police said the suspects also ransacked the bedroom.
The unidentified suspect reportedly fired one round from his gun as Phillips attempted to flee after he broke free from an attempt to tape his wrists together. The bullet lodged in a speaker on the floor, police said.
Police said the three men fled on foot in an unknown direction, taking with them Phillips’ PlayStation 4, video games and a backpack.
Police said the daughters were interviewed, and their statements were identical to those made by their father.
Johnson’s probation was revoked in Washington County Court under a sentence that followed his pleading guilty to charges of receiving stolen property and fleeing or eluding capture filed by city police, court records state. Morris is wanted by Monessen police in connection with an assault Tuesday in that Westmoreland County city.
The third suspect is described as a 6-foot-tall black man wearing thick, black-framed glasses, police said.