Men Rob Residence, Sexually Assault Women

MISSION BEACH, Calif. -- Authorities searched Monday for a group of men who burst into a Mission Beach home and sexually assaulted two female college students after robbing them and two men in the home.

The robbery and assault occurred about 3:15 a.m. Sunday in the 700 block of San Fernando Place, near the parking lot of Mission Beach and Belmont Park, according to San Diego police Lt. Vincent Villalvazo.

Two armed men burst in first and then were joined by two other men, Villalvazo said.

"They went right through the front door of the apartment," Capt. Boyd Long said.

"The initial two suspects were armed," Villalvazo said.

He would not say whether the front door had been locked, if it was open or if the men broke it down.

The men took cash, credit cards, cell phones and electronics and assaulted the women before running away, police said.

It was unclear whether the male victims were tied up while the women were being attacked.

One of the victims was the tenant and the other three students were visitors, police said.

Capt. Boyd Long said investigators believe the robbers left the area after running out of the first-floor apartment.

The women were taken to a hospital for treatment and evidence was collected, Long said.

The captain said that investigators were trying to determine if the attack was connected to a street robbery that occurred about 40 minutes earlier on Mission Boulevard.

The two robbers in the street robbery were African-American men in their early 20s, as were the men involved in the home invasion.

At a press conference called to discuss the case, city Councilman Kevin Falconer called the crimes "horrific" and vowed that police will work tirelessly to catch the suspects.

"Obviously, no stone will be overlooked or unturned on this," Falconer said.

Falconer also said he called a community meeting for 6 p.m. Monday at the Santa Clara Recreation Center to address the issues and reassure residents that the perpetrators would be found.

Long said there has never been a crime of this nature in the Mission Beach community, though there has been violence there in the past.

Investigators said it was too early to tell whether the culprits are gang members.

The captain urged residents to stay safe by locking doors and windows.

"It's a significant event," Long said. "We're going to work hard to keep that community safe."

Police ask anyone with information to call the sex crimes unit at 619-531-2325.