Police Arrest 2 Teens, 1 Woman In South Side Flats Home Invasion
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Two teenagers and a young woman are in custody and police are looking for another man after an armed home invasion in the South Side Flats overnight.
Police say they were called to the 100-block of S. 21st Street around 3 a.m.
According to investigators, that's where three men with shirts covering their faces were attempting to break into a home. One was reportedly carrying a gun.
Police say four people were inside the home at the time, a 46-year-old man, a 41-year-old woman, a 21-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman.
The owner of the home says she was fearful when she heard banging on doors. She believes the suspects were there because of drug activity.
"I'm afraid," said Veronica Towers, who owns the home where the invasion happened. "I have grandchildren. I have great-grandchildren."
Towers says she believes the invasion happened because one of her tenants may be involved in drugs.
"It's all over drugs," added Towers, "because they ripped them off and they found out where they lived, and it happened to be my home."
At the scene, police arrested 20-year-old Priscilla Russell of Arlington who they found in the driver's seat of a silver Cadillac parked outside of the house, reportedly with its engine running.
One of the suspects - identified as 18-year-old Matthew Lambert - was standing by the vehicle, but when officers arrived at the scene, police say he threw a t-shirt and towel into the vehicle, a gun under the vehicle and then ran from the scene.
"That man, they observed him take a black t-shirt and a golden towel," said Sonya Toler, Pittsburgh Police spokeswoman. "They saw him discard a handgun underneath the car and then proceeded to take off and run."
Officers chased after Lambert, heading toward East Carson Street, and eventually caught up with him. He was arrested.
A 15-year-old was also taken into custody after returning the scene.
"They didn't take anything. They just told us to get on the ground and they rummaged around," said Josh Smith, one of Towers' tenants.
He says the suspects were there because it was retaliation after a fist fight.
"I was down on the South Side and he disrespected my baby," said Smith, "and I beat him up, and they said he was going to come back."
Police say the third male suspect was never found. They are still searching for him.
They will face charges of robbery, burglary, criminal conspiracy and possessing instruments of crime.
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