The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department is seeking two men after a Niles Township resident was assaulted with a gun while letting the strangers stay in his home.

Sheriff’s deputies assigned to the Niles Township Patrol Unit were called at 6:52 p.m. Wednesday to the 3000 block of Church Street for a report of a man with a gun.

After investigation, it was believed that the homeowner had allowed some men whom he had recently met stay overnight in his house temporarily. When the men insisted on staying on a more permanent basis by moving in with him, he told them to leave.

Apparently, asking them to leave upset them because the caller said one of the men pulled a gun out and threatened to harm him. The homeowner called 911 and the men began to flee on foot.

The caller then had temporarily left the house. When he returned to the house with the sheriff’s deputies, they had found that the door to the house had been baracaided by somebody inside the house by putting items in front of the door. It was believed that the suspects with the gun had returned and barricaided themselves inside. Deputies tried to make contact with the believed suspects with no answer. Deputies had to ensure that the victim’s house was safe for him to return.

Members of the Berrien County Tactical Response Unit were called in to do a search of the house in a safe manner. After their search, it was confirmed that the house was empty.

Being that the victim had just met the suspects a short time ago, their true identities are unknown at this time, but sheriff’s deputies from the Niles Township Patrol do have some limited information and will be continuing to work with the victim to verify the suspects’ names.

According to Sgt. Rockey Adams of the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, one suspect has been described as a white male, approximately 26 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall and 180 pounds with brown hair and wearing a green shirt. This particular suspect had the pistol and was a friend of the second suspect who was staying with the victim, a white male, 5 feet 7 inches tall and 150 pounds with blonde hair, brown eyes and is approximately 35 years old.

“This appears to be an isolated incident,” Adams said, adding that there is no indication of a situation of someone out harassing the public.

More information will be released as it is confirmed.