PD: Suspect loose after Gilbert home invasion, school lockdowns

GILBERT, AZ - Police said a home invasion in a Gilbert neighborhood forced the lockdown of nearby schools Friday morning, and a suspect is still on the loose.

According to Sgt. Bill Balafas with Gilbert police, two young men forced their way into a house through the back door around 9 a.m. on Wanda Drive, near Warner and Greenfield roads.

The suspects then ran into an 18-year-old male and 17-year-old female in the home, he said.

Brian Schiff was asleep with his girlfriend when he heard his dog bark and then heard someone kicking at the back door. 
 
Once inside, the suspects busted into Schiff's room and another bedroom.

One of the suspects pointed a handgun at the two teens, Balafas said.

"They were yelling I'm going to shoot you, don't look at me," Schiff said.

The suspects then ran away from the house and the victims called 911.

Officers later made a traffic stop on a vehicle nearby, and the suspects ended up being passengers in the car, Balafas said.

They reportedly ran away as soon as they were stopped.

The female driver was detained, and one of the suspects was caught nearby and taken into custody.

The other suspect is on the loose as of Friday afternoon, Balafas said.

He’s described as a Hispanic male in his early 20s with short black hair, wearing either shorts or blue jeans and a dark shirt.

The school lockdowns were lifted, Balafas said.

Schiff said he believes the suspects were staking out his house.
 
"My dad had just left and they probably didn't realize I was there," he said.
 
Schiff also said he recognized the girl who was arrested as someone he knew from Gilbert High a couple years ago, but really didn't have much of a connection to her.