Armed robbery sends two to hospital

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Fort Wayne police were called to the Motel 6 for what they thought was a fight in progress. What they found was several men who had been beaten and robbed.

It happened around 3 a.m. Thursday. Officers found the injured men bleeding behind the motel

Once officers realized it was an armed robbery, more units were called out to the scene.

That's when a number of officers saw two cars driving away quickly from the motel. They followed, and after a brief chase they eventually stopped the cars at the intersection of Centennial and Independence.

Police quickly identified the suspect's car as a black GMC truck. The other belonged to a witness who tried to stop the suspects as they fled. This witness told police he saw one of the men in the truck beat somebody at the motel until he was "almost dead."

The four men in the truck have been identified as Triston Harris, Mark Wagner, Jesse Hawkins, and the driver, Benjamin Burton.

Inside Burton's car, police found a loaded rifle and pistol, plus several rounds of ammunition.

Burton was also illegally wearing a bullet proof vest.

Police found two of the suspects injured inside the truck. Harris had a head wound and Hawkins was bleeding from apparent stab wounds to his face and neck.

The men who were robbed tell police the suspects stole more than two thousand dollars.

Police did find a large amount of cash in one of the suspects pockets, but it's not clear how much.

The four suspects have been arrested and charged with armed robbery.

The injured were taken to hospital in serious condition and are expected to recover.