Officer-involved shooting in Brick under investigation

BRICK — Police officers shot and killed a 21-year-old man outside of his house in what shaken neighbors describe as a barrage of gunshots that frightened them in the middle of the night.

"I heard some commotion, screaming and yelling, then pop, pop, pop, pop," said Richard Ordermann, a resident in the neighborhood. "That's when we said let's get down, get away from the window."

Although police did not release any names, Derek Hoffman said it was his son, Julian Hoffman, who was shot by police. Julian Hoffman, a graduate of Brick Memorial High School, lived with his parents on Cherrywood Circle.

There are conflicting accounts about what led up to the shooting. According to Al Della Fave, spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, police received a 911 call at 10:50 p.m.Sunday from a man saying he was going to "create a disturbance" and immediately hung up.

"Brick Township Police Officers responded and upon their arrival were confronted by a Caucasian male approaching them from the residence of 47 Cherry Wood Circle with what appeared to be a black semi-automatic handgun," according to the release. "After the subject failed to comply with the officer’s orders to drop the weapon, they discharged their duty weapons, striking the armed male several times, fatally injuring him."

But Derek Hoffman, who was not present at the scene, said the story he heard from witnesses and his son's fiancee contradicts the sequence of events the police gave.

"He did have an air rifle with him," Derek Hoffman told the Asbury Park Press Monday afternoon, citing witnesses. "He put it on the ground, got back up and put his hands in the air."

Derek Hoffman was told that's when police shot his son.

"The bullets went right through the rooms," he said. "My son's fiancee (told me she) was in the room."

Derek Hoffman did not elaborate, ending the conversation by saying he needed time to grieve.

There was no immediate reconciling of the differing accounts. Police have provided few details about the shooting. Della Fave declined to respond when asked how many officers fired at Julian Hoffman, how many times he was shot, what service weapons police used and how long officers engaged Julian Hoffman before the shooting, saying the investigation is ongoing.

One witness, who said her first name was Alisa, said that several officers surrounded Julian Hoffman after the shooting. She said she watched as they turned him over and she said his hands appeared to be raised as in a surrender position. But Della Fave disputed that account, saying detectives interviewed Alisa, and neither she nor any other neighbor they talked to admitted to witnessing the shooting.

Julian Hoffman's fiancee, Katie Ghidella, did not respond to messages from a Press reporter about the shooting. But she announced his death in an Instagram post, calling him the love of her life.

"Being able to spend the last three days with you and be together and be happy one last time means everything to me," she wrote. "I will never be able to get you out of my head or heart."

County detectives spent the morning at the scene of the shooting, searching the yard with metal detectors. At least a half-dozen residents watched as detectives pulled siding off the Hoffmans house, looking for evidence. At least four bullet holes were marked for evidence. A section of the street was taped off as a steady stream of officers arrived on scene.

Olfa Rodas, a mother of two who lives down the street, said she heard the gunshots. She thought they were fireworks.

"I'm in shock," she said, hours later as police tape blocked the street.

Steph Solis: 732-643-4043; ssolis@gannettnj.com