Holmdel Man Charged In PD Standoff After Domestic Dispute: Prosecutor

HOLMDEL, NJ - An armed man who barricaded himself inside a condominium community in Holmdel during a domestic dispute Saturday evening has been charged with multiple offenses, authorities said.

Brian Piscopo, 46, of Holmdel, has subsequently been charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, criminal restraint, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the dispute and resulting police standoff, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said in a statement.

Though the endangering charge stems from a child being present in the home during the dispute, the child was not present during the police standoff, Santiago added.

Members of the Holmdel Police Department responded to a residence on Pine Valley Court in the Beau Ridge Condominium community shortly before 7 p.m. for a report of a domestic dispute, reported at the police station by a member of the household, Santiago said.

Officers made a request for assistance from the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team (MOCERT), along with members of the Monmouth County Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) and the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office about an hour later as a standoff between Piscopo and police ensued; local roads were closed and several homes were safely evacuated during the incident as a precaution, Santiago said.

After “lengthy negotiations,” Piscopo was taken into custody shortly after 3 a.m. Sunday and was transported to a local medical facility for evaluation. He was subsequently transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institute where he is being held pending his first appearance at the Monmouth County Superior Court.

“The Prosecutor’s Office and the Holmdel Police Department would like to thank all local and county emergency personnel who responded to the scene and helped bring the situation to a peaceful conclusion,” Santiago said.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Holmdel Police Department Lieutenant Michael Hughes at (732) 946-4400.

If you or a loved one is a victim of domestic violence, there are resources available to you in Monmouth County. Hazlet-based nonprofit 180 Turning Lives Around can be reached via their domestic violence hotline at (888) 842-9262, the sexual violence hotline at (888) 264-7273 or youth hotline at (888) 222-2228. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is open 24/7 and can be reached at (888) 843-9262.