Arrest made in Atlanta home invasion, shooting

ATLANTA, Ga. - A suspect has been arrested in a violent home invasion and shooting in Northwest Atlanta. U.S. Marshals confirmed Friday morning. Atlanta police have identified the suspect as 18-year-old Brandon Jerome Smith.

Smith faces charges of aggravated assault and armed robbery, and was taken to the Fulton County Jail.

Atlanta Police Chief George Turner says that Smith was the shooter in the Monday morning shooting. They have also recovered a .40 caliber handgun investigators believes was involved in violent home invasion.

Chief Turner says the overnight arrest was made possible by Crime Stoppers tips after the sketch was released. He encouraged the other three individuals to turn themselves into authorities. He says investigators are still working to confirm the identities of the others involved in the incident.

The arrest comes a couple of days after police released surveillance video and a sketch of one suspect in Monday's home invasion on Sumter Street.

The sketch shows an African-American male with a unique stud piercing right between his eyes. The surveillance video appears to show four men walking down the street near the Lash's house shortly before the attack. Those same men are later shown running back down the street.

The video was provided to the police by a company across the street from the home.

Atlanta Police have said it is unlikely the attack was gang-related; however, investigators have not released any information regarding a possible motive.

Family finds strength in faith despite crime

The victims in the attack are reacting in a way that may surprise you. During the robbery Michael Lash was shot in both legs after he told two of the four young people they could not come inside.

They did not listen, barged in and began firing. Lash began citing scripture, according to his mother-in-law Jessica Huffman.

She says Lash expressed forgiveness and while in the ambulance, told paramedics he wished he could hug all four boys to show them that somebody loves them.

His wife held her baby as she ducked away from gunfire during the robbery.

Police told FOX 5 two teens faked needing assistance with a disabled car.

Officers said the men asked for a car jack, and then forced their way inside. Police said the robbers fired at the mother as she ran to her infant. Police said she grabbed her child and ran outside the home.

The wife and mother did not see the encounter, but heard the shots and knew her husband had been hit.

A few moments later, bullets began ricochet off the walls and mother with her baby ran away. But one of the teens caught up to her and pointed his weapon at her. The mother appealed, asking the gunman that their lives be spared. That teen decided not to shoot and asked for her cell phone instead.

Police got there within three minutes, according to the mother-in-law, because the wife had already called 911.
Atlanta Police released the 911 calls of that terrifying ordeal.

"We're being robbed at gunpoint," the mother tells the 911 operator in the recording FOX 5 obtained. "I ran outside with my baby. There's a black young man at the door. He pulled a gun on my husband."

The woman stopped speaking during the 911 call after screams can be heard.

Investigators said a cell phone was the only item stolen from the home.