Terrifying Close Call for Ocean County Couple as Armed Man Approaches Their Home

Terrifying Close Call for NJ Couple as Armed Man Approaches Their Home

Terrifying Close Call for Ocean County Couple as Armed Man Approaches Their Home

Uncertain of the former Toms River resident's destination, police officers visited the residences of his former girlfriend, her family, and a friend as Brian J. Lanzim drove south from Maine to face her.

They advised the woman's parents to leave the South Toms River residence and seek safety since they knew Lanzim was armed and had threatened to kill the woman's father.

According to court documents, they almost failed to escape in time.

The circumstances leading up to Lanzim, 37, being shot by a South Toms River police officer after defying the officer's orders are described in the probable cause affidavit submitted in the April 29 incident on Dover Road.

According to the complaint, Lanzim drove eight hours from Maine after his longtime girlfriend informed him during a noontime discussion that they were ending their relationship and had requested a temporary restraining order.

According to the affidavit, he carried a rifle, a Glock 17 with a 17-bullet magazine, a bulletproof vest, and 22 extended ammunition magazines with more than 600 rounds of ammunition, including 19 for the rifle.

According to the affidavit, the lady informed authorities that she saw Lanzim packing up and heard what she believed to be the "click" of a gun when she told him she was ending the relationship over a Facetime chat.

According to the affidavit, she told Lanzim she was going to the police, and he pleaded with her not to.He answered her, "No, you are not; you wouldn't do that to me." "You said you wouldn't do that to me."

Lanzim continued to contact and message her after she hung up, once threatening, "If you stand between me and my kids, I'm going to do what I need to do."

Lanzim assured her that although he wouldn't hurt her, he would "had to take certain actions."

He then threatened her father, saying, "If your father is there, I'm going to take him out." Lanzim also brought up a previous incident between himself and the woman's father and said that he would have run after her father and "rendered him ... pulseless in the driveway."

TThe woman called her parents and asked them to leave the house as the situation worsened and it became apparent that Lanzim was approaching the area. The affidavit stated that the mother was at the Toms River police station and had taken the kids to a secure location.

The couple packed their things to spend the night somewhere secure when South Toms River police arrived at their home and encouraged them to follow suit, according to the affidavit.

Sgt. Muhammad Ali, the policeman, motioned for them to stop and pointed to a car approaching their house as they were getting into their car to head out. According to the affidavit, it was Lanzim's Totoya 4 Runner.

Ali had to flee behind a fence to avoid the 4 Runner's path as Lanzim went straight past their car onto the driveway.

The pair drove away without Lanzim's knowledge as he got out of the 4 Runner and headed toward the house.

They were sitting in their car a short distance away when they heard the gunshots. According to the affidavit, Lanzim attempted to enter the house through the front door while carrying a Glock 17 with a 17-round magazine, one of which was in the gun's chamber and ready to fire.

According to the affidavit, after Lanzim refused to stop and drop the firearm, Ali fired five times, hitting Lanzim in the hand and pelvis.

According to the affidavit, Lanzim was heard yelling, "I f-g lost her man," on the bodycam tape. He responded, "Tell her and the boys I love her," and his tears were audible.

The woman's parents and the friend Lanzim was talking to on the way to South Toms River stated in the affidavit that their relationship had been difficult and had gotten "progressively worse" over the previous six years. They described Lanzim as "scary, erratic, condescending, and mentally abusive."

According to the affidavit, Lanzim was a "unpredictable rollercoaster," according to the friend.

The woman refused to uproot her life and the children when Lanzim decided in 2025 to move to Maine for a position with Brinks Security. According to the statement, their relationship continued to worsen until the woman informed him on April 29 that she was leaving it permanently.

Marissa Koerner, Lanzim's public defender, stated in court on Friday that Lanzim's actions were the consequence of a total mental collapse brought on by the separation, which was partially brought on by mental health conditions such bipolar disorder.

At Lanzim's detention hearing, Assistant Prosecutor Mara Brater disagreed, claiming that his actions showed preparation and intent because he was carrying two firearms and a large quantity of ammunition, as well as because he was wearing a bulletproof vest."He was ready for war," Brater remarked.

Three counts of attempted murder, home invasion burglary, terroristic threats, two counts of unlawfully possessing a weapon, two counts of unlawfully possessing a weapon, unlawfully using body armor, and twenty-two counts of possessing large capacity ammunition magazines have all been brought against Lanzim. After his detention hearing before Judge Pamela M. Snyder on May 8, he was ordered to remain in the Ocean County Jail.