AKRON, Ohio — Three men were arrested by Akron Police Thursday afternoon after what officials say was a brazen robbery and kidnapping as the men fled from a house surrounded by officers. Two of the men broke into an older couple’s home and forced them to drive away until the victims bravely alerted police.
Just before 2 p.m., multiple officers responded to a home in the 900 block of Ardella Avenue after a resident reported seeing men with guns and ski masks, according to a news release from Akron Police.
When officers arrived, the men ran into the home, then tried to exit before finding it surrounded by police. At one point, officers looked inside and saw a 20-year-old woman being held at gunpoint.
“As the harrowing event rapidly unfolded, one of the suspects briefly pointed a gun at one of the uniformed officers,” police said.
The SWAT team was called to the scene, but before they could mobilize, the men forced the woman outside to the rear of the house, then left her and fled on foot.
Officers quickly apprehended one of the men while the other two made their way over to Georgia Avenue, officials said. There, the men confronted a 63-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman inside their home. The couple was ordered into their car at gunpoint while the two suspects jumped into the back of the vehicle, police said.
“As the couple was driving down Georgia Avenue, they courageously were able to alert the officers that the two suspects were inside their car,” police stated.
Officers surrounded the car, rescued the couple and took the two remaining men into custody without incident.
The men, 34-year-old Bryan McCroskey, 33-year-old Rikki Rudd and 19-year-old Alvin Brown were arrested and charged with aggravated robbery, kidnapping and felonious assault. They were later taken to the Summit County Jail.
A 23-year-old man who was beaten by the men during the incident was taken to a nearby hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The 20-year-old woman sustained minor injuries and was also taken to the hospital for treatment, police said. The couple driving the car was uninjured.
One of the men who was arrested sustained a minor injury to the arm from K-9 officer Justice, who assisted with the arrest, police said.
“The incident underscores the dangers and risks our dedicated first responders face daily,” Akron Police stated in the news release. “It highlights our continued commitment to enhancing public safety and our ongoing efforts to help make Akron safer for everyone.”
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