BARTOW, Fla. -- Two foreign-exchange students were pistol-whipped, shot at and robbed by someone they connected with on Facebook Marketplace, police say.

  • Foreign exchange students robbed, shot at in Bartow
  • Warrant issued for Jonathan Vaughn for aggravated assault
  • Police issue picture of 2nd man thought to be involved

Bartow Police have issued a warrant for a 21-year-old man in connection to the armed robbery and are looking to the public to help them find a second suspect.

Detectives say the young couple, in the U.S. on student visas, on Thursday began communicating with a person on Facebook Marketplace about the purchase of an iPhone X. The man was looking to buy it for his girlfriend, they said.

According to police, after exchanging messages with the Colombian couple, two men lured the couple to Azalea Gardens housing complex at 1050 Golfview Ave. for the sale.

That's where the couple was robbed at gunpoint, pistol-whipped and shot at.

The couple escaped with cuts on their heads from the attack.

Detectives say that one of the two men wanted is Jonathan Vaughn, 21. Police have issued an arrest warrant for two counts of armed robbery with a firearm, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and discharging a firearm in public. 

Officials released a photo of the other man thought to be involved in the attack and are asking for the public's help in identifying him.

The couple have since flown back to Colombia, but police are hoping to find their attackers, who they say are armed and dangerous.

Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-8477 is offering a $3,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.