Montgomery County

Good Samaritans Seen on Video Disarm Would-Be Killer in Maryland: Police

After a man was shot twice in Adelphi, bystanders seen on video karate kicked the shooter and held him down until police arrived, authorities say. The men were strangers, according to the victim’s sister

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A man pointed a gun at another man’s head in Maryland and pulled the trigger — but the gun misfired and bystanders were able to hold him down until police arrived.

Authorities say daring good Samaritans were able to interrupt a would-be killer on Saturday in Adelphi, and it all was caught on camera. 

The suspect pointed a gun at the victim’s head and pulled the trigger. But the weapon appears to misfire. Video shows a man do a flying kick and a woman jump on the suspect. Bystanders were able to dislodge the gun and pin the suspect to the ground.

The victim’s sister was among the people who tried to stop the gunman. She said he bit her hand. Wounds could be seen on her fingers. She said the attacker was a stranger to her brother. 

“Imagine seeing that a person, against somebody that you love with all your heart, with your life — it’s traumatizing,” she said in Spanish, as interpreted by her cousin. 

The attack occurred in the 1700 block of Mt. Pisgah Lane, near the Avery Park Apartment Homes, at about 6 p.m. Saturday.

Jason Morales said he was nearby. 

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“We were just running our business when we heard four shots go off in rather quick succession,” he said. 

Morales said he saw people run to disarm the shooter.

“They were kind of laying on him. They had him pinned to the ground. Some of them were even, I guess, kind of beating on him as well. I saw one man kicking him. I saw someone else punching the guy as well,” he said. 

Bystanders were able to hold the man down until police arrived. When they did, they found a handgun with a live round in the chamber, police said. 

The struggle for the gun may have paid off; police said the barrel of the gun was plugged with mud, possibly causing it to misfire.

Marcus Conway, 24, was identified as the suspect. He was charged with attempted second-degree murder, assault, use of a firearm to commit a felony and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He was held without bond. 

The victim, a 35-year-old, was shot twice before people intervened. He was in a hospital on Tuesday evening and was expected to recover. 

The motive for the crime was unclear.

Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police. 

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story. 

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