MILWAUKEE — An elderly Milwaukee man is left battered and bruised after police say armed burglars broke into his home and held him at gunpoint.
The 86-year-old victim spoke with TMJ4 under the condition of anonymity. He says he and his wife were having a relaxing Sunday night in their living room near 56th and Thurston. That all changed in a matter of seconds shortly after 8 p.m.
“I heard a big bang like they used a ram,” the man said.
The homeowner says his instincts took over and he jumped into action when three men broke through his front door.
"When I heard a bang, I knew right away and I ran in for the bedroom and they were right behind me."
“Do you have any idea why they targeted your home?” TMJ4 asked.
“There’s a lot of kids in the neighborhood. I've been here 50 years and they know me and I've been kind of treating them and doing things for them,” the man replied.
The homeowner says once the door flew open, he ran to his bedroom to grab a gun for protection. He says two men followed him with a firearm of their own. Meanwhile, the homeowner says a third intruder held his wife down on a living room chair.
"They just wanted money. They didn't look for anything else and took my wallet and demanded money,” he said. “One of them on the side, which I didn't look at too much, said 'shoot, shoot, shoot.’”
The homeowner says one of the suspects grappled with him over his own gun. In the struggle, a gunshot grazed the homeowner’s fingers and went through the ceiling. As the firearm fell to the ground, the man says one of the burglars hit him across the face with a pistol leaving a large gash on his cheek.
"I was trying to calm them down because he was really hot under the collar and just pointed that automatic,” he said.
The homeowner says he tried to de-escalate the situation by giving the burglars what they wanted. He says he emptied his wallet and all the coin jars on his dresser, combining all the money inside the home. Ultimately, he says the three burglars left with $70.
“They were just furious because they expected more,” he said.
While the man was beaten and injured, he’s thankful he and his wife are alive without a single fear of living in their home moving forward.
"They were in for the money,” he said. “They didn't get nothing, so there's no sense coming back."
Milwaukee police say they’re still searching for the three suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS.
