Authorities say officers were called to an apartment at 901 North 35th Street in Council Bluffs at around 9:12-p.m., Tuesday, with regard to a shooting. Upon their arrival, it was learned that a home invasion had occurred. The adults that were present were 25-year old Amber Day, 30-year old Arnell Wynne, Crystal Belden, and 56-year old Venice Wynne. There were 5 children present inside the apartment ranging from 5 months to 11 years in age.

The Criminal Investigation Division was notified and based on their initial investigation, determined the victims heard a knock on their apartment door. When Belden answered the door, two black male suspects wearing dark clothing and dark colored handkerchiefs over their faces forced their way into the apartment. One of the suspects was carrying a firearm described as a black semiautomatic handgun. The suspect carrying the handgun immediately ran upstairs and met Arnell Wynne at the top of the steps in the hallway.

The two then began to wrestle with one another. Belden attempted to go around them to get the children in one of the bedrooms. The suspect then fired one shot above her head that traveled into the wall next to the bedroom where her children were located. While Amber Day was in the process of dialing 911 in the children’s bedroom, Wynne continued to wrestle with the suspect which led into the bathroom. As they wrestled in the bathroom, Wynne said the suspect fired another round.

After the second shot was heard, the suspect made his way into the children’s bedroom where he allegedly held the gun to Days’ head as she was on the phone with 911. As the suspect held the gun to the woman’s’ head, Wynne came into the bedroom, grabbed the suspect and pulled him into the hallway. Wynne said the suspect broke free from him and ran downstairs.

While the upstairs incident was occurring, Belden ran out the back sliding glass door, where a third unknown suspect was waiting and struck her in the face with an unknown object. All three suspects then fled the apartment out the back door. Several spent rounds were recovered from the apartment. Police are continuing to investigate the incident.