Violent Home Invasion, Assault in Beechview

Pittsburgh police are investigating a violent home invasion and assault in Beechview that started when two men pretending to be with a utility company knocked on the door.

Police responded to the 1500 block of Rutherford Street at 6:45 a.m. on Saturday for a report of a home invasion.

When they arrived, the victim—a 71-year-old man who is legally blind—was sitting on his porch.

According to the police report, two men assaulted the victim in the basement of his home. The victim told police that at one point, one man stuck a gun in his mouth and the other man said, "shoot him, shoot him." The victim also told police he was tased before he was able to knock the gun away and run up to the kitchen.

As the victim tried to run up the basement stairs, one of the suspects allegedly took a picture off of the wall and struck him in the head with it. Once in the kitchen, the man told police, he grabbed a pot an began hitting his attackers, and yelled, "John, call the police" to make the attackers think there was someone else in the house. The men ran from the home.

The men were wearing safety hats and vests, and pretended to be with a gas company to get inside the house.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the PBP Robbery Squad at 412-323-7151. Callers can remain anonymous.

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