Police: Man targeted friends in home invasion, attempted armed robbery
One of the two men reportedly connected to a home invasion and attempted armed robbery that occurred Oct. 27 allegedly targeted his friends in both incidents, according to court testimony.
Darryl Solomon pleaded not guilty Monday morning to four counts of home invasion and one count of criminal attempt armed robbery.
Columbus Police Officer David Duckworth said Solomon, 49, went to his friend’s 21st Street residence on Oct. 27. The defendant knocked on the front door, asked his 54-year-old friend for money and then stepped off the porch, police said.
Moments later, a masked gunman ran up to the porch, put a pistol to the friend’s head and demanded the man go back inside his home. The gunman and Solomon followed the resident inside, police added.
The masked man aimed a semi-automatic pistol at the 54-year-old victim and three others who lived inside. During the home invasion, the gunman mentioned Solomon by name and claimed that he had nothing to do with the home invasion.
Officials said the friend was robbed of his wallet and $200, but he was able to escape the gunman during the 12:44 a.m. incident. He locked himself in the back bathroom, where he called police for help.
According to Duckworth, the masked man attempted to break into the bathroom but was unable to pry it open with the victim fighting to keep it closed. He and Solomon left the residence afterwards, the officer testified.
Later that day around 12:50 a.m., Solomon went to another friend’s 14th Avenue residence and asked for a cigarette, Columbus Police Officer Matt Hollenback testified.
As he was reaching to get a cigarette, the same black gunman appeared and aimed a pistol at the friend. The victim ran back inside and heard a gunshot outside of his residence, police stated in court.
The man looked outside of his window and saw the two suspects leaving the area, Hollenback said. The gunman fled on foot and Solomon rode away on a bicycle, the officer added.
“To be noted, his front yard is only a few feet wide,” Hollenback told the court. “It would be have been impossible for Mr. Solomon not to have seen any other person standing outside of his (friend’s) house.”
Solomon was arrested in the 2400 block of 16th Avenue at 9 a.m. Tuesday, but his accomplice is still on the loose, authorities said. The unidentified suspect wore a black ski mask and all black over-sized clothing, police stated.
Solomon was denied bond on the home invasion charged and taken back to the Muscogee County Jail. His charges were bound over to Superior Court.
— Sarah is a crime and safety reporter at The Ledger-Enquirer. You can contact her on Twitter at @SarahR_92.
This story was originally published November 2, 2015 at 6:16 PM with the headline "Police: Man targeted friends in home invasion, attempted armed robbery ."