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Police ask for public's help in finding 2 robbers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte police are asking for the public's help in finding two men who robbed at least four people Monday night at gunpoint. They all happened within miles of each other in the University area.

Daniel Petrillo, one of the victims, hopes that surveillance video from his next door neighbor can help police catch the men. The video shows Petrillo arriving home late Monday night. He got out and soon afterward, a car cames down the street in reverse. Two men get out and run after Petrillo.

" One of the guys yelled 'Get him! Get him!' and I bolted away from the house," Petrillo said.

He ran through some yards but slipped. That's when the men started kicking him. " The other guy, the bigger guy was yelling 'Shoot him! Shoot him!' I was telling them 'Don't shoot me! Don't shoot me!' I took out my phone, threw it, said 'Take it' and they hopped in the car and then they left," he said.

Petrillo is OK now, but he showed us the scratches on his face and his banged -up knee from the chase.

About an hour later, Vanessa Daughton was walking home when two men in ski masks ran after her. " After they pushed me down on the ground and put the gun on my neck they said, basically 'Give us what we want,' and the only thing I knew was my purse so I gave them my purse," she said. The suspects then ran away.

Police think they're connected to five robberies Monday night. The first one happened on Glencannon Drive at 8:23 p.m. The second happened about 10 miles away at Ribble Court a little more than an hour later. The thieves hit Daniel Petrillo at 10:43 And then Vanessa Daughton at 11:36. They say the robbers also struck on Coble Road but they haven't released any details on that incident yet.

Police have now offered up to a $5,000 reward for help in identifying and arresting the suspects.

They say the first suspect is described as a 20 to 25-year-old black male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet 4 inches tall, with a medium to heavy build, last seen wearing a dark -colored hoodie.

The second suspect is described as a 20 to 25-year-old white or Hispanic male, approximately 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a slim build, last seen wearing a dark-colored hoodie.