Two girls hid in bedroom during assault with gunfire

Two young girls hid in a bedroom during an assault that involved gunfire at a Cedar Rapids apartment early Saturday, police said.

Officers responded around 4:40 a.m. to a call for help at 1315 Oakland Road NE, Apt. 3. They found two residents of the apartment who had been assaulted, but the two suspects had already fled the scene.

According to the police report, Robert Sanders, 25, and Michael Slater, 24, had returned home to the apartment when someone started banging on the door. They told police two men forced the door open and began to assault them. One of the suspects fired a gunshot that went through a wall and into a neighbor's apartment.

No one requested medical treatment at the scene, police said.

Police were notified about the incident by a female from the apartment. Officers later learned she had gone into a bedroom with her 2-year-old and 4-year-old daughters to call 911 when the men barged into the apartment.

The victims told police they did not know the suspects.

The suspect who had the handgun is described as a black male, around 5-foot-10 to 6 feet tall, weighing between 180 and 200 pounds. He was last seen wearing jeans, a sweat shirt and black shoes. The other suspect is a white male of similar height and weight. He was wearing tight jeans, a gray shirt and brown work boots.

No arrests have been made in the case. An investigation is continuing.