Four beaten in nasty home invasion

RCMP say an early morning home invasion in the West End was likely a case of mistaken identity.

Const. Pat Nagy said three men forced their way into a home on the 400 block of Dalgleish Drive shortly after 3 a.m. Tuesday. Once inside, the men — one of whom was armed with a rubber mallet — attacked the three men and a woman who were asleep at the home.

One of the victims, a man, was punched in the head and taken to Royal Inland Hospital with bruises to his face and a ruptured blood vessel in an eye, said Nagy.

She believes the woman was also hit. The victims are in their early 20s.

The assailants took cellphones, wallets, a purse, a 32-inch TV, and a video recorder, and fled. Investigators believe the trio drove off in a diesel pickup truck.

“But this is Kamloops. Every second vehicle is a diesel truck,” said Nagy.

Two of the suspects are Caucasian. One is in his mid-30s, about six feet tall, clean-shaven and wore a tuque. The other is shorter, skinnier and in his mid to late 20s.

Nagy said a First Nations man stood at the front door of the home.

Investigators suspect the home invasion could be related to the drug trade, but there is no way of knowing for sure, she said. An investigation is ongoing.

Residents living in the 400 block of Dalgleish didn’t learn about the incident until The Daily News interviewed them Tuesday morning.

“That freaks me out,” said Jen Price, 21. “I thought this was a pretty safe neighbourhood.”

Price lives in a townhouse with her brother. She was out until 2 a.m. and didn’t hear any commotion near where she lives.

Another resident, Rita, who would not give her last name, has lived on the 400 block for 20 years. She said the worst crime she’s experienced is having her car broken into.

“I feel safe here.”

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