WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Police are charging a 16-year-old boy, as an adult, for his role in an armed home invasion in Wilkes-Barre, where a man was pistol-whipped Saturday.
According to the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, on Saturday around 1:30 p.m., police responded to a reported home invasion in the 100 block of Poplar Street. Officers were told that the suspects were two black males, wearing black clothing and masks, and were armed with firearms.
The victim told police that the suspects were looking for his son, who was not home at the time, then took out handguns, forcing their way inside and pistol-whipping the man.
As stated in the affidavit, the two continued into the house, ransacked a room, pistol-whipped the man a second time, then fled the house before police arrived.
Once officers arrived they were able to locate one of the suspects, Nihajj Johnson, 16, of Wilkes-Barre, after a foot chase where officers deployed a stun gun to subdue him.
A backpack that Joshon had contained a loaded .45 caliber Smith and Wesson with an altered serial number, according to court papers. A second backpack dropped by the other suspect contained items used for packaging drugs.
Johnson was arraigned Saturday night on charges of robbery, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a minor, burglary, theft, reckless endangerment, and simple assault.
He remains at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility without bail as he was deemed a flight risk.
The second suspect has yet to be arrested for the incident.
