MURFREESBORO – A $1500 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect who broke into a Murfreesboro home and attacked its occupants Wednesday morning.

At approximately 3 a.m. Wednesday morning, a black male approximately 5’5&uot; to 5′ 10&uot; in height with a muscular build, illegally entered a residence on Main Street and assaulted a married couple.

The Murfreesboro Police Department has put forward $500 of the award total and a private citizen has pledged an additional $1000 to encourage anyone with information to contact law enforcement authorities.

The suspect, who was reported to have been brandishing a knife during the attack, was run off after the couple physically defended themselves, injuring the intruder in the process.

The suspect was last seen in the High Street area near the Jefcoat Museum early Wednesday morning.

Chief Rowe was in Raleigh on Thursday delivering evidence from the home invasion to the SBI crime lab.

Chief Rowe stated that any person willing to come forward with information could be assured of confidentiality.

&uot;Whatever information an individual may have, no matter how small they think it is, could be valuable,&uot; Rowe said by telephone on Thursday. &uot;We will not divulge the name of anyone who helps us along in this investigation.&uot;

Anyone having information should call the Murfreesboro Police Department at 398-4151.