Infant Nearly Shot, Dog Grazed by Bullet in Home Invasion

Stafford County, Va. –– A child was nearly shot and a dog grazed by a bullet in a violent home invasion Thursday afternoon.

Now five men — four of them from Woodbridge — are now in custody.

Stafford sheriff’s deputies were called at 1:20 p.m. to an apartment complex on Kendrick Court in the England Run area, near the England Run Branch of the Central Rappahannock Library, after a man had barricaded himself and an infant in a bathroom.

The victim told police that a man he hadn’t seen in a year, known to him only as “AB,” knocked at his door Thursday.

The man opened the door and then was pushed back into his apartment as “A.B.” and several others rushed inside, said Stafford County Sheriff’s Charles E. Jett.

One of the pulled out a handgun and demanded money, and with the infant on the floor, the victim told the intruders he had to get the cash from his bedroom.

At the same time the victim’s dog, a Boxer, came out of the kitchen and lunged at the gunman. The gun was fired and the bullet grazed the dog and nearly struck the child, said Jett.

The victim picked up the child and ran into the bathroom and locked the door.

The men then left, but not before neighbors could get a good description of the getaway car, which investigators used to track down the vehicle on Interstate 95.

The car was spotted traveling northbound at mile post 140, at Stafford. Four men were arrested at gunpoint, said Jett.

A search of the vehicle turned up a secret compartment in the passenger seat, a loaded gun and 30 packets of marijuana, said Jett.

The man known as “AB” has been identified as Abraham E. Owen of Fredericksburg and arrested, said Jett.

Others arrested in connection to this case are Robert L. Schneider, Jamel J. Schneider, Dequintus J. Brooks and Michael T. Joyce, all of Woodbridge, said Jett.

All have been charged with use of a firearm in commission of a felony, conspiracy to commit robbery, attempted murder, said Jett. The suspects were not granted bond.

Additional charges could be filed next week, to include child endangerment and animal cruelty.

The victim and the child were not injured, and the dog did not suffer life-threatening injuries.