D.C. police say four armed suspects held a group of people hostage in a Southeast home before threatening and sexually assaulting a male victim.

WASHINGTON – D.C. police say four armed suspects held a group of people hostage in a Southeast home before threatening and sexually assaulting a male victim.

Police say three victims entered a home in the 4200 block of Southern Avenue SE at about 2 a.m. Wednesday and found four armed and masked suspects holding five other occupants of the home in the basement.

Police say the suspects then forced the three victims down to the basement and took one of the victims to a separate room, where they demanded money from him, threatened him and physically and sexually assaulted him.

Police say two other victims also were physically assaulted.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call police at 202-727-9099. Information also can be texted to 50411.

While reporting on the home invasion, WUSA9 anchor Bruce Johnson and photographer Danielle Gill were attacked by a woman who was inside a neighboring home. They had knocked on the door to the home and the woman told them to leave.

She sprayed mace toward them and then hit both journalists who were standing on the public sidewalk. Police were called and are reviewing the tape of the woman’s attack, WUSA9 reports.

Watch Johnson’s report on the home invasion and the attack below.

An earlier home page headline listed the incident being investigated as a robbery. Police have said they are looking for suspects in a sexual assault and burglary. A link to an earlier Fox 5 story has been removed.

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