Two armed, masked men forced their way into a Citrus County home just after midnight today and first robbed the occupants, and then other friends who were later called to the home by the victims.

According to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to a home at South Suelynn Point shortly before 1 a.m. in response to a report of a home invasion.

The six victims, ranging in age from 29 to 51, were shaken up, but relayed to deputies what they remembered of their ordeal. Two men (the homeowner and another) and a woman were all at the home in a back bedroom watching television. Just after midnight, there was a knock at the front door, and the woman went to answer it.

The masked men ordered the woman back to the bedroom and told the three victims to get on the floor. The homeowner, who suffered minor injuries, told deputies he was struck in the head and legs with an unknown object. All three victims were bound by the suspects, who then demanded cash from them.  Nobody had any.

At that point, the homeowner’s hands were freed, and the suspects told him to call people he knew and get them over there, reportedly with the intent of robbing them, too. Two women and a man unwittingly responded to the residence and were confronted by the suspects. The women were sent to the bedroom where the other victims were. The man who had just arrived got into a brief scuffle with one of the masked suspects out in the living room.

Ultimately, the homeowner was able to get away from the house and summon help.  Both suspects ended up fleeing the scene with no cash in hand. The entire ordeal lasted about an hour. None of the victims could tell deputies whether or not the two suspects were driving a vehicle.

Anyone who has information about this crime or the identity of the suspects is asked to call 911 right away. To remain anonymous, use Crime Stoppers of Citrus County, Inc.  Report your tip by texting CITRUS to 274637 (Crimes), clicking on www.crimestopperscitrus.com or calling 1-888-ANY-TIPS toll-free.  Tipsters may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $1,000