A southwest Atlanta teen hiding under a bed Friday during an early-morning home invasion alerted police of the armed robbers' activities before a deadly shootout.
"She was on the phone with the police the whole time," victim Crystal McKnight told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, describing the incident.
Atlanta police used that information to head off the four-man robbing crew as they tried to flee, and the ensuing confrontation ended with one of the bandits being fatally shot, and another being injured by gunfire, police said.
For seven terrifying minutes before police arrived, McKnight, her sister and three other women who live with them endured death threats from the gun- and machete-wielding band of robbers who ordered them to strip naked and constantly demanded money.
"It felt like seven hours," she said. "They told us that they'd chop all our heads off, and that they were going to rape us."
Just before 1:30 a.m., police were called to a home in the 1400 block of Richland Road, Atlanta Police Lt. Paul Guerrucci told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Police said four men forced their way into the home to rob the five women inside at gunpoint.
"Everybody was sleep, and I heard a hard knock at the door," McKnight said. "I jumped out of my bed saw them trying to get into the house."
She grabbed her phone and called police as she herded two of her roommates into a closet with her.
McKnight's sister and another young woman, however, went to hide elsewhere, her sister scrambling underneath her bed.
"Us three hid in closet," McKnight said. "The dudes told us we had three seconds to get out or they would shoot into the closet."
But her teen sibling remained out of sight, and let police know what was happening.
"One of the callers managed to seek refuge under a bed and provide the call-taker with continuous updates," Atlanta Police spokeswoman Officer Kim Jones said. "The information given by the victim was provided to the responding [officers]."
McKnight said the men took $700 in cash and her phone before leaving the home out the back door.
Police were waiting for them.
"Officers arrived while the perpetrators were on scene," Guerrucci said. "While the perpetrators were attempting to flee, there was engagement with police."
The officers felt threatened, police say, and three of them fired, hitting at least two of the bandits. Those two were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where one died and another suffered a gunshot injury to his arm, police said.
He remains in police custody, but his condition is unknown.
Police haven't identified either suspect.
Two other suspects escaped, however, and remain at large despite police using tracking dogs to search the neighborhood for them, Jones said.
It is unclear why the men targeted McKnight's home.
No officers were injured, but the officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, as per standard procedure during fatal police involved shootings.
Police continue to investigate.
Return for updates.
About the Author
