Toms River Man Charged After Attempted Suicide By Cop: Chief

TOMS RIVER, NJ – A Toms River man has been charged following an incident Sunday the town's police chief is calling an attempted suicide by cop.

On Sunday just after 2 a.m., Toms River police responded to James St. and Lewis Ave. after a caller reported a man was brandishing a handgun, police said.

A man matching the caller's description, Zachary Brown, 26, was located by police walking on James Street. According to police, James had his left hand in his jacket pocket.

Police told Brown to take his hand out of his pocket, but he refused to do so, police said. Brown also said multiple times that he had a weapon in his possession, and either "he was going to assault officers or officers were going to have to assault him," according to a press release from Toms River police.

Police said several attempts were made to reason with Brown as he began to advance toward officers. Police told Brown to stop moving multiple times, according to the release.

After Brown refused to stop moving toward police, Officer John Marsicano deployed his taser and Brown collapsed to the ground, where he was handcuffed and treated by EMS on the scene. He was transported to Community Medical Center for further treatment.

According to police, the calls to dispatch about the incident were made by Brown himself.

Brown was charged with terroristic threats, obstruction of justice, false reports and resisting arrest. No weapons were recovered.

"There were eleven Toms River Police Officers, and a K9 Officer, on the scene during Zachary Brown's attempted Suicide by Cop," said Police Chief Mitchell Little in the release. "There were several different ways the night could have potentially ended and we are grateful that everyone went home safe to their family at the end of their shift."