Baseball Bat Attack During Home Invasion Leaves Two Hospitalized

An apparent revenge attack over an attempted rape was carried out on the wrong people.

Salem-News.com

(GLADSTONE, Ore.) - Gladstone Police are investigating a home invasion that left two people injured at an apartment complex on Caldwell Road. Sgt. Lynne Benton with Gladstone Police says they were notified of the attack at about 4:00 AM.

Officers responded to the call after a report that 4-5 subjects kicked in the apartment door and beat a guest who was sleeping on the couch with a baseball bat.

"They then kicked in the bedroom door and also beat the male inside with a baseball bat as he tried to defend himself," Benton said.

"The perpetrators were overheard saying, 'It's the wrong guy,' and they left as quickly as they had entered."

Benton confirms that there had been a small party at the apartment earlier in the evening and the attackers believed that a male at the party had tried to rape one of the suspect's girlfriend.

"Police have developed some leads in the case and a Gladstone Detective was called out to work on the case early this morning. We found that actually two suspects had broken in, both wearing grey 'hoodie' sweatshirts."

Meanwhile, Benton says the guest who was sleeping on the couch is at OHSU in the trauma unit with head injuries and is unable to be interviewed in any detail.

The renter of the apartment was treated at Willamette Falls Hospital and was interviewed by Gladstone Police there. Police say they are not releasing the victims' names at this time so as not to jeopardize the investigation that is in the early stages.

Benton says the crimes involved in this case are felony crimes and include Burglary I, Assault II, and possibly Attempted Murder. This investigation will be continuing and we will provide more information as it becomes available.