Man Points Gun Directly At Cop In Silver Spring: Police (ICYMI)

SILVER SPRING, MD — A Silver Spring man was arrested after he pointed a gun directly at an officer when police came to his front door for a noise complaint. David Leroy Bruce, 59, was arrested at his apartment Tuesday night, police said.

At about 8:13 p.m., police were dispatched to an apartment on Parkford Manor Terrace for a noise complaint. Arriving officers heard a loud TV coming from the apartment, so they verbally announced their presence and knocked on the front door, police said.

Bruce allegedly slowly opened the door and pointed a handgun directly at an officer, while he hid behind the door. The officer took cover and continuously shouted commands for Bruce to drop the gun, police said. Eventually Bruce dropped the gun, but officers did not know if he would pick it up again, or if he had any other weapons on him, police said.

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Backup officers arrived and forced entry into the apartment. Bruce followed commands to leave the apartment and was taken into custody without further incident, police said.

Officers recovered a handgun loaded with six .32-caliber rounds that Bruce had pointed at the officer. Additional firearms were located and seized, police said. Officers also found a surveillance camera monitor inside the apartment which, could make it possible for Bruce to observe the officers approach before they knocked on the front door, police said.

Bruce was charged with one count of first-degree assault, three counts of reckless endangerment, and one count of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony/violent crime.

Photo: Montgomery County Police Department