A Gainesville apartment was robbed Sunday night and one resident was kidnapped — though she was later released by her captors.
Three South Carolina residents — Kayla Black, 18, Quintae Edwards, 23, and Kwame Fernanders, 22 — were later identified as suspects and were taken into custody by police, according to a news release from Gainesville police. They are also persons of interest in a North Carolina homicide.
On Sunday, two men and a woman were seen outside of the apartment at Arbor Lofts Apartments on Northwest Third Place before they forced their way inside when one resident went outside to get a skateboard, the release said.
One of the two men was armed with a handgun, and the three restrained the victims with duct tape while they went through the apartment. The release isn't clear how many total people were inside the apartment.
The trio stole iPhones, wallets and cash and forced one victim to an ATM to withdraw money, the release said.
The three also stole a Hyundai Elantra and left in it with a female victim in tow to ensure the others in the apartment would not call the police. They dropped her off at North Florida Regional Medical Center.
One of the stolen phones allowed Gainesville police to track the suspects to Interstate 10 and find one of them, Edwards, outside of a Baymont Inn in Tallahassee, the release said. Edwards possessed a room key that led police to Black and Fernanders. The three were taken to the Leon County Jail.
Police are unsure what brought them three to Gainesville.