GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — The Sugar Hill community is on edge after a violent home invasion. Police say a mother and her two children were tied up in Gwinnett County, where the intruders pretended to be police.
Three men wearing surgical masks entered the home on Primrose Park Road about 7 a.m. Saturday after breaking in through a back window, police said.
After tying up the residents, the intruders stole cash from the home before leaving in a small, dark-colored SUV, police said.
A man who lives in the neighborhood told Channel 2's Christian Jennings one of the victims rang his doorbell desperate for help.
"I saw the neighbor standing out and I opened the door and I could tell he was beaten really bad, blood on his face. And also his hands were tied around his back with zip ties," the man said.
He told Jennings he ran back inside to grab scissors and cut the young man free.
"He just kept saying, 'You know, my mom and my sister are home and they need help,' as well their hands are tied behind their back," he said.
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"It shook me, it did," one neighbor said. "Especially getting in the car and seeing the active crime scene."
Neighbors told Channel 2 Action News they are trying to make sense of a violent crime that makes no sense for their peaceful community.
"Never has anything like this happened," Darlene Maisonet said. "Now, it's getting dark, and I'm a little anxious."
Juan Maisonet said it was unnecessary to hurt anyone.
"If you're going to break into a person's house, take whatever you need," Maisonet said. "You don't need to beat somebody."
Neighbors said they are not going to cower or live in fear. They've been handing out hundreds of flyers describing the crime and urging everyone to stand together.
"What we've been doing is sharing our phone numbers, talking to each other," Juan Maisonet said.
Police are still looking for the robbers and hope to get help from the public. They say the suspects had Jamaican accents.
They're urging the public to call CrimeStoppers at 404-577-TIPS.