The Carroll County Sheriff's Office is searching for four males believed to be in their 30s after a first-degree assault and attempted robbery occurred in Hampstead early Friday morning.
At approximately 2:35 a.m., deputies responded to a call for a disturbance where a 34-year-old Hampstead man encountered four unknown suspects who had knocked on the back door of his North Main Street residence, according to a Sheriff's Office news release.
They confronted him outside of his home with a pellet pistol and demanded money, police said.
The man reported that he had arrived home just after 2 a.m. and observed three of the persons of interest standing around what appeared to be a 1990s model red, four-door station wagon, similar to a Ford Escort, police said.
According to the release, the man heard knocking at the back door. He left the apartment from the front to investigate and was confronted by the men while making his way around back.
Police said the man quickly recognized the gun was a pellet pistol and knocked it from the aggressor's hand. A brief struggle ensued during which the victim was allegedly knocked to the ground, kicked and punched by the four men before escaping to his apartment and calling police.
The man sustained minor cuts to his face and hands, but declined medical treatment at the scene. The suspects fled on foot and remain at large, according to police.
The suspects are described as white or Latino males believed to be in their 20s or 30s. One was described as being of Latino decent with a stocky build, 5 feet 8 to 5-10 and weighing 200 to 220 pounds. He was wearing a white sleeveless T-shirt and had tattoo sleeves on both arms, according to the release.
The man with the pellet gun was reported to be thinly built and slightly taller than the first. There is no further description for the others, police said.
The vehicle described in this incident is similar to the description provided by witnesses to a confrontation that reportedly occurred Thursday at the Manchester Park and Ride along Route 27 just before 10 p.m. The Sheriff's Office, Hampstead and Manchester Police are working closely as the investigations continue, according to the release.
Anyone with information about these incidents, including the identity and whereabouts of the vehicle or four suspects is asked to contact Detective Chris Youman at 410-386-2571 or the toll free anonymous TIPS hotline at 1-888-399-8477.