NYPD officers honored after using drone to help capture Queens home invasion suspects
WHITESTONE, Queens (WABC) -- NYPD officers were honored Monday, for their work in tracking and capturing suspects involved in a home invasion in Queens over the weekend.
The incident unfolded around 3 a.m. Saturday in Douglaston, Queens, when the NYPD received a 911 call from a woman who was whispering. Dispatch barely understood what she was saying, but did hear the word "gun and help," triggering a massive response.
A family of eight, ranging in age from a 1-year-old girl to a 72-year-old man, were all asleep when three men wearing masks broke into their home. One suspect had a gun, the other two had hammers.
"As they looked inside this house, they see the rest of the family with their hands held above their head," said NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughty.
The NYPD ESU team used a loud speaker to inform the suspects that officers had them surrounded, and demanded the suspects to come out with their hands up.
"They were panicking. They didn't know what to do, and I guess they took it amongst themselves to all jump out the same window and run in different directions," Daughty said.
Infrared black and white video from an NYPD drone captured three white specs jumping out of a kitchen window. NYPD officers popped up from all directions, closing in to make the arrest.
"They're jumping out. So, now officers are running to try to grab them and then you have family members that are running out," Daughtry said.
New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino and top NYPD brass recognized the 111 Precinct Monday afternoon.
"The rapid response of our officers and the deployment of this technology made all the difference," Paladino said.
Two of the suspects are brothers, 39-year-old Brandon Dash and 34-year-old Ryan Dash. The third suspect is 47-year-old Conrad Harrigan.
"Our cops, 111 Precinct respond quietly, tactically, and we take three very bad individuals out of our community here," said NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell.
They've been charged with kidnapping, robbery, burglary and assault. Investigators say they targeted this family because they own a business and thought they had large amounts of cash in the home.
"I don't want you think that there's groups of people going around invading your home at gunpoint. This was isolated. This was targeted," Chell said.
The suspects were outmatched by technology that gave them away.
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