Man shot by Montgomery County police was actually brandishing replica handgun

A file photo of a Montgomery County police car. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)

WASHINGTON — Montgomery County police had shot and wounded a man who they believed was armed with a gun earlier this week. Police are now saying the man, who faces assault charges, had brandished a replica gun.

Police said in a news release Wednesday that before Devin Conlon Brunner, 26, of Germantown, Maryland, was shot on Sunday, officers had asked him to drop what he was holding, which, at the time, police said was a gun. He did not comply and pointed the gun at the officers. He was then shot.

Brunner was taken to the hospital, and police said he is still there but is expected to survive.

Police are now releasing more details about what happened at Sunday afternoon’s shooting. Officers were called to the townhouse community on Cross Laurel Court for a report of a man armed with what looked like a handgun. He was pointing it at numerous homes, police said.

One caller told police that when he went outside, the suspect pointed a gun at him. The caller then went back into his house and told another resident. When they looked out the window, they saw Brunner pointing the gun at them, police said.

When officers arrived, they found Brunner with a gun and told him to drop it. Police shot him after he did not comply to their repeated commands and had pointed the gun at them.

Police learned later that Brunner had been holding a replica handgun.

Brunner was charged with four counts of first-degree assault against a police officer and two counts of first-degree assault against a resident.

No officers were hurt. The four officers who discharged their weapons have been placed on paid administrative leave per protocol, police said. Police are still investigating the shooting and added that investigators are reviewing body camera footage from responding officers.

Anyone with information should call 240-773-5070. Below is where the shooting happened.

Abigail Constantino

Abigail Constantino started her journalism career writing for a local newspaper in Fairfax County, Virginia. She is a graduate of American University and The George Washington University.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up