Man Distraught By Breakup Held Ex And Her Family Hostage: Police

GERMANTOWN, MD — Police have arrested and charged a 28-year-old man after they say he took his ex-girlfriend and her family hostage Monday following a breakup.

Zain Imdad of Germantown faces a slew of charges including five counts of first-degree attempted murder, five counts of second-degree attempted murder, five counts of first-degree assault, and one count of home invasion, court records show.

According to Montgomery County Police, Imdad entered his ex-girlfriend's Germantown home on Monday, even though she had a protective order against him. Imdad proceeded to take the woman and her family members hostage and threaten them with a handgun.

Authorities say he was allegedly distraught over the ending of his relationship with his ex-girlfriend; and told the victims that he was going to kill them if she did not reconcile the relationship. If the police showed up, he said he'd still kill them and then shoot authorities.

One of the family members, however, managed to notify police by calling 9-1-1.

"Though facing an armed suspect threatening to kill the victim and family, officers placed themselves in peril by making immediate entry and confronting Imdad, who was now holding the victim with a knife to her throat," the Montgomery County Police Department said in a statement. "Officers were able to wrestle the weapon away from Imdad, arrest him, and free the victim and her family."

Detectives learned that Imdad brought a backpack to the victim's residence. Authorities found a black replica handgun, a fixed-blade knife, duck tape, five pairs of handcuffs, a para-cord, bottles of an unknown substance, and a note explaining his intentions.

According to police, Imdad told the victims that he would kill them and then drink poison.

"Without the assistance of the family members and the immediate action by the responding officers, the outcomes achieved during this incident could have been very different," police said.

Imdad faces the following charges, per court records:

• Attempted first-degree murder (5 counts)
• Attempted second-degree murder (5 counts)
• First-degree assault (5 counts)
• Second-degree assault (5 counts)
• Home invasion
• Violation of a protection order
• Reckless Endangerment (5 counts)
• Carrying a concealed dangerous weapon
• Possession of a dangerous weapon with intent to injure

Imdad is expected to appear in court on May 10.

Anyone with additional information regarding Zain Imdad is asked to call the Special Victims Investigations Division at 240-773-5400.