There were some frightening moments early Monday for a Miramar man after police say he was pistol whipped during a home invasion and his French bulldog was stolen.

Police said the incident occurred around 4 a.m. in the Melrose Point gated community near Miramar Parkway and S.W. 128th Ave.

Police said the three suspects went out of their way to get into the neighborhood and did so by cutting a hole in a fence.

Neighbors told CBS News Miami that they heard at least three shots that were fired.

The victim told CBS News Miami off-camera that he was recovering and said his French Bulldog that was recovered nearby is doing OK.

"I heard a woman screaming and a man screaming, 'Stop. Stop,'" neighbor Isabel said. "That is super crazy with someone stealing a dog."

Miramar Police Spokeswoman Janice McIntosh said police were in the area and heard gunshots and responded and discovered there had been a home invasion. The victim had cuts on his head and she said he had been pistol whipped. She said he was inside the home and heard a commotion.

'When he went outside, he was ambushed by three suspects and hit on the head by one of them and robbed," she said. "The suspects managed to take his French bulldog, which has since been recovered, in the parking lot next to the fence where the suspects cut a hole and the victim is fully cooperating with police."

One of the three suspects arrested, police say

French bulldogs cost thousands of dollars and are the most popular breed in the U.S.

"We believed this was an opportunistic situation," McIntosh said said. "We do not believe they came for the bulldog. They saw the bulldog and decided to take it as well. It was very scary."

She said one of the suspects was arrested. 

She said Juliana Serna, 21, was charged with a home invasion and drug possession.

McIntosh said it was not clear if anything else was stolen, and it is not clear why this happened.

"That is one thing detectives are looking at right now," she said. "To find out if it was a targeted situation or if it was random."

She said police are scouring the area for Ring Camera footage and surveillance video. She said police have not released the gender of the two other suspects or a description of them.

Anyone who can help find them should call Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS (8477).