Man shot in North Toledo as 3 men invade home

12/5/2008

A 34-year-old man was shot in the stomach yesterday during a home invasion in North Toledo, police said.

Johnny Lafayette was taken to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, officers said. A hospital spokesman said yesterday she had no information about a person by that name.

The incident occurred about 1:45 a.m. at the victim's Spring Street residence, police said.

Someone who knocked on the front door asked for "Johnny." One of two people who were inside with the victim opened the door, and three men forced their way into the home, police said.

The intruders then broke down the door into the victim's bedroom, found him there, and demanded drugs and money. When the victim failed to comply, one of the intruders shot him and they fled with computers they had grabbed in the victim's bedroom, officers said.

A short time later, the victim tried to drive himself to St. Vincent but was stopped by police, who then had an ambulance take him there, police said.

The gunman was described as black, of medium build, about 5 feet, 8 inches tall, and wearing a black jacket with sport patches.

One of the intruders was wearing a bandana as a mask and one of the other two was wearing a half-mask, police said.

What looked like an M-16 rifle was reported seen during the incident. Police later recovered a spent shell casing from the floor of the house, officers said.