12-year-old among 4 charged in overnight Westfield home invasion

WESTFIELD — A 12-year-old Piscataway boy was among four suspects charged in a home invasion and assault early Tuesday morning, according to police.

Police Chief Christopher Battiloro said the four assailants forced their way into a home on the 100 block of Park Street about 3:55 a.m. and assaulted a man and woman with a baseball bat. The man had to be hospitalized, according to Battiloro.

After numerous 911 calls reporting the incident, responding officers arrested the suspects that police said were running toward a parked car.

Battiloro said the attack was not random but did not reveal a motivation.

Patrick Ely, 27, of Bridgewater; Vince John, 23, and Justin Mitchell, 21, both of Piscataway, were charged with second-degree conspiracy to commit burglary, two counts of second-degree conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, second-degree burglary, second-degree aggravated assault, and third- and fourth-degree weapons violations.

The adult suspects were also charged with first-degree use of a minor to commit a crime.

"Our officers were on the scene within two minutes of their dispatch," Battiloro said on Facebook. "This was a dangerous call for service and our residents should be extremely proud of these officers and the way they performed.".

The chief asked anyone with information about the incident to call 908-789-6077.

The home invasion happened in the same neighborhood where a home on Cacciola Place was ransacked by four men on Aug. 16. The attackers pistol-whipped the resident, police said at the time.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ