One Dead After a Pair of Home Invasions

A St. Petersburg man is dead after a pair of home invasions before dawn Tuesday that police say are related.

On June 19 at 4:21 a.m., St. Petersburg Police Officers responded to a call of a home invasion robbery at 5800 1st St. N.

The victim, Gregg M. Gordon, 51, and his wife, Rebecca, told the police they were asleep in bed when several armed suspects forced entry into their home, yelling "police, police, police."

According to police, once inside, the armed suspects demanded cash and jewelry.

One of the suspects, police said, punched Gordon several times and struck him in the head with an unknown object as they searched through the home before leaving the residence with several items.

The armed suspects were described as males in their late teens or early 20s; some of them had their faces covered and all of them wore dark clothing.

Gregg Gordon was treated and released from .

Minutes later, a second home invasion occurred at a nearby residence at 7014 Orpine Dr. N. 

St. Petersburg Police Officers responded to a shooting at that location where there had just been a home invasion.

The victim in this case was homeowner Richard Shaw, 41, who was transported to Northside Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from a single gunshot wound to the upper body.

Shaw's adult son was inside the home at the time of the shooting. His identity is not being released, police said.

According to police, investigators say that several armed suspects forced entry into the residence, yelling "police, police, police," just like the earlier home invasion.

Once inside, the armed suspects demanded cash and drugs. At some point during the robbery, one of the armed suspects shot Shaw.

The armed suspects, police said, then fled from the scene after taking property from the home. 

Police said the armed suspects' descriptions were similar to those of the first home invasion.

According to police, the two robberies appear to have the same suspects, given the close proximity of the two crimes, the close proximity of the times of the two crimes, the same general descriptions of multiple armed suspects in the two crimes and the same method of entry through the front doors of the single family homes while yelling "police, police, police."

The facts of these two cases also suggest the victims were targeted for these
crimes rather than selected randomly for these crimes of violence, according to police.

Anyone with information about either of these crimes can contact the police Communications Center at 727-893-7780. Anonymous tipsters can call our Tip Line at 727-892-5000 or Text a Tip at 727-420-8911.