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Invasion Stopped by Armed Citizen
(Botched
robbery leaves two injured)
11-23-00
By PHILLIP
REESE, Staff Writer
News & Record
http://www.news-record.com/
ASHEBORO, North Carolina -- Two men broke into
a home and tried to rob an Asheboro family at gunpoint Tuesday evening, but the
owner of the home shot and injured at least one of the robbers, witnesses said.
Alejandro Vazquez Garcia, 16, and Santiago
Ontoniel Lopez, 20, both of 2220 N. Fayetteville St., were charged with robbery
with a dangerous weapon after two men tried to rob the Abonza family at their
1821 Manorview Road home, police said. Garcia and Lopez were apprehended when
they wrecked their getaway car about half a mile from the Abonza home.
The botched robbery started at about 10:30
p.m., police said. One of the men knocked on the Abonzas' door, which was opened
by Anna Abonza.
"They grabbed her by the hair and put a
gun to her head and said they were going to shoot her," said Emalelda
Dominguez, a neighbor who witnessed much of the incident and helped translate
the Abonzas' account for police.
While one robber held Anna Abonza at gunpoint,
the robber still outside of the house began shooting at Lucino Abonza. Lucino
Abonza grabbed a gun, dropped to the ground and returned fire, Dominguez said.
He hit the robber who was inside the house in the leg. Dominguez was not sure
whether the robber outside was shot.
There were several adults and five children in
the house. The children were taken into an adjoining room during the incident.
No one inside the house was shot except for the robber, Dominguez said.
After Lucino Abonza opened fire, the two men
fled the scene in a car. They plowed through the Abonzas' fence and headed down
Manorview Road. They wrecked the vehicle nearby.
Garcia was treated and released from Randolph
Hospital soon after the incident. He is being held at the Randolph County Jail
under a $250,000 secured bond. Lopez was in fair condition at Moses Cone
Memorial Hospital Wednesday afternoon.
The Abonzas did not know the men. The robbers
probably thought that Lucino Abonza would have money because his brother owns a
jewelry store, Dominguez said. The robbers did not get any money.
"They asked for money and jewelry,"
Dominguez said. "They said if they didn't give any money or jewelry they
would kill them."
Contact Phillip Reese at 625-8452, Ext. 232, or at preese@news-record.com
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