A quiet Sunday in a Cockeysville neighborhood turned tense when a Timonium man allegedly pulled a gun on a family during a heated confrontation, leaving residents rattled and talking. Witnesses told police the man pulled out a semiautomatic handgun, worked the slide, pointed it at the victims, then took off in his vehicle. Neighbors snapped photos of the car as it left, and investigators used the license plate to track down and arrest the suspect a short time later, according to police.
According to WBAL, Baltimore County officers arrested 39-year-old Imtiaz Sami shortly before 6 p.m. in the 2400 block of Burlwood Road and charged him with assault and a gun offense. The outlet reports that witnesses provided a photo of the plate that led investigators to Sami’s address, where officers took him into custody without incident. He is being held without bond at the Baltimore County Detention Center. Charging documents cited by the station allege Sami circled the neighborhood in his car looking for the victims and kept the confrontation going even after being told multiple times to leave.
Charging documents obtained by WBAL say Sami told residents, "I just want you to know, the kid living on the corner, he’s a piece of (expletive)." Victims told police he then reached down to the floor of his car, pulled out a semiautomatic handgun, pulled back the slide so it made an audible click, and pointed the weapon at them. One person said he believed he was about to be shot and raised his hands just before Sami sped away.
Search Warrant Finds Arsenal
After identifying the vehicle, police executed a search warrant at the home tied to the car and recovered 15 firearms and several types of ammunition, according to the local report. Investigators say the stash of weapons, along with the license plate photo and witness statements, form key pieces of their case. Authorities have not said how the guns were stored or whether any fall under restricted categories under Maryland law.
Connection To Deadly May Crash
Neighbors told officers the confrontation grew out of a single-vehicle crash earlier this month that killed two teens in the Phoenix area of Baltimore County. They reported that a survivor of that wreck had just returned home when the argument erupted, according to local coverage by WBAL-TV. That crash, reported at Poplar Hill and Merrymans Mill roads on May 1, has left the community on edge and fueled online commentary that police say played into the dispute. A community GoFundMe set up for one of the teens has drawn attention from local outlets as neighbors rally around grieving families.
Legal Snapshot
According to the charging documents cited by local reporting and police, Sami faces counts that include first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and use of a firearm in a violent crime. The case is moving through Baltimore County’s criminal court system, although officials have not yet released an arraignment date or additional filings from prosecutors. Police are asking anyone with information to contact Baltimore County Police through the department’s public tips page.
Neighbors told reporters they were stunned to learn the alleged gunman’s children attend the same school as the victims’ children, calling it another layer of tension on top of an already raw situation. Residents said the episode has sharpened their concerns about online arguments and speculation boiling over into real-world confrontations. Police say the investigation is still active and are urging anyone with photos, video, or other tips to reach out to detectives handling the case.
