Three escape injury during home invasion

Police were searching this morning for three black males in connection with a home invasion that occurred late last night in the 2300 block of Live Oak Lane.

Officers were dispatched at 11:46 p.m. to the home, where they found a 21-year-old black male victim suffering possible back injuries after jumping out a second-story window, the Columbia Police Department said in a news release.

The victim had jumped in an attempt to escape the three men.

After kicking through the front door, the males confronted a 19-year-old white female while brandishing one large and one small silver-colored handgun.

The third victim, a 25-year-old white male, ran out the apartment’s back door. The female managed to escape out the front door while the three males were searching the apartment, police said. Neither of them was injured.

Police had yet to determine whether anything was stolen from the apartment.

Police located and interviewed all three victims.

The suspects wore hooded sweatshirts and bandanas over their faces, police said. A white vehicle was seen in the area.

Sgt. Ken Hammond, supervisor of the police department’s Major Crimes Unit, said there is no indication the victims knew the suspects. "Or they’re unable to identify them. They were masked," Hammond said.

Hammond said the police are looking into whether last night’s incident is connected to past home invasions.

Anyone with information about the home invasion is asked to call CrimeStoppers at (573) 875-8477.