The victim of an armed robbery in New Haven was arrested on Wednesday, accused of attacking a teen he mistook for someone who attacked him and stole his money, according to New Haven police.
Devon Byrd, 44, of New Haven, told police he was robbed when he left the George Street bodega after buying cigarettes.
Four men, three of whom had handguns, approached Byrd and one ordered him into a nearby alley, police said.
The robbers, pointing three guns at him, demanded he hand over his money and Byrd gave up several hundred dollars, he told police.
Then, the gunmen yelled at him to give up more cash and one threatened to count to five and then shoot Byrd, police said.
When the robber reached four, Byrd grabbed one of the other gunmen, threw him into the one who was counting and the four young men retaliated by punching and kicking Byrd, police said. Then two others joined in the attack, according to police.
According to police, Byrd and an acquaintance named Mike fought off the attackers.
At 7 p.m., police were called to respond to Dunkin' Donuts at 105 Derby Ave., where Byrd had fled to try to elude the perpetrators. Officers who responded found Byrd in the shop, holding the door shut, and his alleged attackers were trying to get inside, according to police.
When they saw police, the four men took off in different directions.
Police were able to catch three of them. Officers arrested a 17-year-old New Haven boy in the backyard of 270 Winthrop Ave. and Byrd identified the teen as the ringleader.
Officers also arrested Bruce Morgan, 20, and a 16-year-old, both of New Haven, as they were trying to enter the bodega at 798 George St., police said. Byrd also identified the two suspects.
As police were investigating, a 15-year-old boy approached officers and said a man, later identified as Byrd, attacked him and accused him of stealing his money, police said.
As the 15-year-old was walking from his grandmother's house to the bodega, he saw several young men clad in black run from it, then Byrd grabbed him and dragged him into the alley, police said.
Byrd yelled at the teen to give him back his money, but the teen said he hadn't taken the man's money and had nothing to return, according to police.
He told investigators that Byrd punched him several times, grabbed a broomstick that was nearby and started beating him across his face and head as he demanded his money back, police said.
Witnesses and the boy identified Byrd as the attacker.
Police said they found a broken half of the broomstick in the alley, along with several spots of blood, and the other half was found at the Dunkin' Donuts.
Byrd was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and injury to a minor and taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The 17-year-old suspected ringleader was charged with first-degree robbery, third-degree assault, second-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree and interfering with police.
Morgan and the 16-year-old suspect were each charged with third-degree assault and conspiracy to commit assault.
Police are still looking for other people who were involved. No guns have been recovered.
