El Monte home invasion robberies: 3 hospitalized; police searching for at least 1 suspect

EL MONTE, Calif. - Three people were hospitalized Sunday morning following a series of home invasion robberies in El Monte overnight. 

Evailia Ramos said she will never forget what happened to her and the others who live in her complex of three homes in the 2700 block of Potrero Avenue.

"I was scared. It was scary," Ramos said before pausing to hold back the tears.

It was just after 1 a.m. when she was suddenly staring at three home invaders in her room. She says they asked, "Where’s the money," but that she didn’t have any. She said, they then asked if she had drugs.

According to police, three or four people broke into the homes and assaulted the adult victims, who ranged in age from 41 to 74. As of Sunday night, two of the victims are in stable condition and one remains in serious condition. 

Reflecting on what happened, Ramos said, "There’s a lot of blood in there."

She said she was in shock. "He said he wouldn’t hurt us," she said. "I mean… but you have a gun pointed, at you that’s scary. They pushed my husband by the way. He’s okay but he feels powerless."

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Los Angeles Couty Sheriff’s investigators joined El Monte police on this case sending crime scene investigators onto the property. Ramos said she heard one gunshot. Police said there was one fired into a ceiling.

Two suspects have been detained, police said — one a 17-year-old, the other, 24-year-old Ajon Payne of Compton, is being held on $880,000 bail. They've been booked on multiple charges including residential burglary, first degree robbery, false imprisonment, assault with a deadly weapon, child endangerment, obstructing a police officer, and shooting inside a house.

Authorities said they are still looking for at least one suspect, potentially two. The investigation remains ongoing. 

Anyone with information is asked to call police.