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Brookline home invasion was chaotic, bloody
Motive hazy, but chief says attack was not random
By Peter Schworm
Globe Staff

BROOKLINE — Two men charged in a chaotic Brookline home invasion that spilled into the street bludgeoned their target with a two-by-four while demanding that he tell them where his money was, authorities said Thursday.

Karamo Manjang told police he was watching television around noon Wednesday at his studio apartment on St. Paul Street when he heard a knock at the door. When he answered, he was immediately hit over the head with the piece of wood, and three men burst in, according to a police report.

“They all were screaming ‘Where’s the money?’ and begin smashing my TV,’’ Manjang told investigators.

As they tore his place apart, Manjang said, he grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed two of the men. The third man then opened fire, shooting Manjang several times in the legs and accidentally hitting one of his friends. The three men then took off, he told police.

Manjang said he would not tell authorities everything because he was not a “snitch.’’

Details of the bizarre mid-day events emerged as a Boston teenager charged in the home invasion pleaded not guilty to five felony charges, including assault to murder.

The police report did not pinpoint a motive.

Khari Wilcox, 18, was arraigned at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where he was recovering from stab wounds. He was ordered held without bail.

Wilcox showed little emotion during the arraignment, according to a report from a media pool, and had the bed sheet pulled up to his neck. He wore gray hospital socks, and his feet appeared to be shackled to the bed.

He is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 16 for a probable cause hearing.

Antonio Brown Jr., 27, of Cambridge, was also been arrested but has not been arraigned as he recovers from knife and bullet wounds. His arraignment date “will be dictated by his medical progress,’’ prosecutors said.

Brown and Wilcox fled in a Ford Focus but were dumped from the car less than a mile away, near an ambulance, according to prosecutors. Both were “in extreme pain’’ and were rushed into surgery.

Police said two suspects remained at large Thursday, including the driver of the Ford and a passenger who ran away. The Ford, a rental that was reported stolen from Cambridge, was later found in Boston.

Brown gave police a different version of events. He said he went to the Brookline apartment to smoke pot when two men kicked in the door and started shooting. He dove to the floor but was stabbed in the stomach.

Brown said he then ran outside and flagged down a driver, who was driving him to a hospital. But Brown jumped out of the vehicle, he told police.

On Thursday, Brookline Police Chief Daniel O’Leary assured residents the attack was not random.

“This was a targeted crime,’’ he said. “The community should know that we’re working very hard to get everybody into custody, and we know that these individuals have relationships.’’

Calls to 911, released by police, show witnesses’ confusion while the episode unfolded in the quiet neighborhood. One caller reported seeing two men in the street, and at first believed they had been hit by a car.

The caller also noted that an ambulance had been parked nearby for lunch.

The caller realized one of the men was the victim of gunshot wounds.

“Oh my God, I think he got shot,’’ the caller said. “I don’t know. I don’t know what happened.’’

Andy Rosen of the Globe staff and Globe correspondent J.D. Capelouto contributed to this story. Peter Schworm can be reached at schworm@globe.com.