Three armed men force S. Richmond family to floor, as they raid - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

Richmond police are trying to track down three armed men who forced a family in South Richmond to the floor with guns. The suspects stormed into the home in the 3400 block of Decatur Street Saturday night at about 7:30 p.m.

Ashley Dickenson says she recognized one of the suspects raiding her home. She says he was an acquaintance of her mother, and the two had stopped by earlier in the day. Dickenson says she doesn't know the man, but believes he returned after eyeing the big-screen television.

Dickenson, two months pregnant, answered the knock at the door. Her husband, ten-month-old child and two church friends were inside.

"I opened the door, and there was an assault rifle stuck at my chest," said Dickenson.

Dickenson said two men entered wearing scarves over their faces. They pointed guns.

"(One of the men) said, ‘Everybody get down, get on the ground! Get on the ground, now," said Dickenson.

A third man joined the gunmen. The suspects immediately moved in on the television and PlayStation. They also grabbed cell phones and bottles of medicine. Dickenson pleaded to hold her baby boy.

"I asked to get my child because he was screaming," said Dickenson.

Dickenson hovered over her little boy, while the men threatened to kill anyone who didn't cooperate.

"Everybody's heads were down, because they told us if we were to lift our heads up, we'd get shot," said Dickenson.

No one was hurt physically, but the damage left may be just as crippling.

Dickenson said her and her husband are struggling financially, since he was injured at his job and can no longer work full-time. The couple had planned on selling their most valuable assets, now stolen.

"We were going to sell the television and the PlayStation so that we could come up with money to pay our rent because we will be evicted on the 14th," said Dickenson. "We will be homeless, but the most important thing that we lost was our right to feel safe in our home."

Dickenson went to church Sunday morning to pray that the suspects are caught, and that she and her disabled husband will find work.

If you know anything about this robbery, call Crime Stoppers at 780-1000.

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