UPDATE: Man assaults woman, her mother before being shot to death

BRICK TOWNSHIP -- A man with a handgun was fatally shot by township police early Sunday morning following a domestic dispute that left two women hospitalized, authorities said.

Brick police responded about 5:30 a.m. to a home on Meridian Drive after receiving a call from a neighbor about a domestic dispute, said Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

A preliminary investigation found there was a domestic dispute at the home that resulted in the assault of two women, Della Fave said. They were taken to an area hospital for their injuries, he said.

Detectives will interview the women and officers involved in the shooting, Della Fave said. He did not know how many officers were involved.

Brittany Steinhausen, 23, who lives near the home, said she called police because she was awoken by the gunfire. When police arrived, she said, they squatted behind vehicles in the street and shouted for the man to drop his weapon.

"Put the gun down," another neighbor, 25-year-old Sarah Broyles, said officers shouted at the man. "Hands up, hands up."

Neighbors said the people involved have lived on the street for about three years and kept to themselves. Three children, including a baby, lived in the house, they said.

Broyles, who has lived in Brick her whole life, said there is rarely violence in the neighborhood. Her father initially thought the gunshots were firecrackers, she said.

More gunfire was heard once police arrived on scene, and "then it was over," Steinhausen said. About 20 gunshots were fired during the incident, Steinhausen and Broyles said.

No additional information was immediately available.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ.

Luke Nozicka can be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com or on Twitter @lukenozicka.

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