KOKOMO, Ind — An 18-year-old is in custody after a burglary attempt in Kokomo early Thursday morning. It happened at the Annex of Kokomo apartments.
Police responded to an apartment around 3:30 a.m., where they found three residents holding a suspect at gunpoint. The residents told police the suspect had entered the apartment wearing a ski mask and pointed a gun at them.
The residents told police they fought the suspect and got the gun out of his hands after he entered, but the suspect pulled out another gun during the struggle. The residents again tried to get the gun out of his hands, and the gun went off in the process, but no one was injured.
At that point, one of the residents went to get his own gun and held the suspect at gunpoint until police arrived. The suspect, identified as 18-year-old Marrell B. Tyler, of Merrillville, suffered multiple facial injuries during his altercations with the residents.
According to the probable cause affidavit acquired by our partners at the Kokomo Tribune, Tyler told his girlfriend he was going to a gas station, but ended up going into the nearby apartment because it was unlocked, even though he reportedly did not know any of the occupants of the apartment. The apartment's residents also told police they did not know Tyler.
Police arrested Tyler for burglary, took him to the hospital for treatment of his injuries, then took him to the Howard County Criminal Justice Center.
He was later formally charged with felony charges including burglary with a deadly weapon, armed robbery and pointing a firearm. Tyler was ordered held on a $25,000 cash-only bond. He has pleaded not guilty in the case and has filed a motion to have his bond reduced.
Anyone with information on the case should call Lt. Richard Benzinger at 765-456-7324, or the Kokomo Police Department Hotline at 765-456-7017.
