Detectives with the Island County Sheriff’s Office are asking the public for help identifying three suspects who committed an unsuccessful home-invasion robbery in the Oak Harbor area just after midnight Tuesday.

Three masked burglars, one of whom was brandishing what appeared to be a handgun, forced their way into a Wedgewood Lane home and threatened the four occupants, who were all men in their 20s, according to the Island County Sheriff’s Office.

But then things didn’t go well for the burglars.

When a suspect struck one of the men with the handgun, the victim realized that it was a plastic BB gun and began fighting with the suspect. The other occupants fought back as well, forcing the suspects to flee from the residence and leave the scene in what is described as a gold-colored Buick or Oldsmobile, according to the sheriff’s office.

The intruders left the BB gun and a baseball cap behind in the melee. The items are being sent to the state crime lab for DNA processing and analysis. One of the occupants suffered minor injuries from being struck with a flashlight.

“At this time it is unknown what the suspects were after in the residence. It also appears that this specific residence was targeted and not a random selection,” the press release from the sheriff’s office states.

The three suspects were described as a white male approximately 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-8 with medium build; a black male approximately 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-9 with medium build; and a black male approximately 6-foot-3 with a thin build.

All three suspects had their faces covered. Two of the burglars were wearing dark clothing while one had a shirt depicting what was described as an evil clown face on it.

Anyone with information as to the identity of these subjects or has information on the case is asked to contact Detective Ed Wallace at 678-7968 or tips@co.island.wa.us.