Police say the confrontation was targeted and poses no continuing threat, but residents of the quiet neighborhood remain shaken.
COCKEYSVILLE, MD — Neighbors in a Baltimore County community are raising concerns about safety after a Halloween-night confrontation in a residential driveway ended with one man dead, two others wounded and criminal charges against the surviving men.
Baltimore County police said the shooting happened around 10:40 p.m. Saturday in the 10000 block of Greenside Drive. Investigators said a resident was outside his home when three masked men approached him. At least one of the men had a handgun, according to police. The resident told officers that he was threatened and responded by drawing his own firearm and shooting at the group before calling 911.
Officers searched the area and found 20-year-old Amon Walker dead a short distance away. The other two men were later located after seeking medical treatment at hospitals, police said. Authorities identified them as Elias Bitar, 22, and Aaron Walker Jr., 24. Police also recovered a loaded handgun they believe belonged to the group.
Bitar and Aaron Walker Jr. have been charged with offenses that include attempted home invasion, assault and firearm-related crimes, according to police. Both were being held without bail at the Baltimore County Detention Center as of Monday. The charges are allegations, and the men have not been convicted. The Baltimore County Police Department’s Homicide Unit continues to investigate the circumstances of the shooting.
Charging documents reported by WBAL-TV provide additional details about why the three men may have gone to the Cockeysville neighborhood. According to the court record, Aaron Walker Jr. told investigators that his brother, Amon Walker, wanted him and Bitar to travel to Cockeysville to assault someone with whom Amon Walker had an unspecified dispute. Police have said the confrontation appears to have been targeted and that there is no active threat to the surrounding community.
The gunfire startled residents who described Greenside Drive as a normally quiet place. Don Wofford told WBAL-TV that he initially thought the sounds he heard were fireworks. He said his concern grew when a helicopter appeared and police activity increased in the neighborhood. Other residents said seeing officers return to canvass the area reinforced how unusual the violence was for the community.
Monish Gariwala, who told WBAL-TV he has lived in the neighborhood for about 20 years, said residents are accustomed to feeling safe there at any hour. He said the shooting was particularly unsettling because people had been outside for Halloween, including older residents handing out candy to trick-or-treaters. Another longtime resident told CBS News Baltimore that the neighborhood had not experienced crime like this during two decades of living there.
Other neighbors interviewed after the shooting also described a broader sense of unease. LeRoy Randolph told local reporters he never expected an incident like the shooting to happen so close to home. Gerri Chambers said the violence had caused people to think more about their own safety, while Doug Cragg reflected on how concerns about violent incidents can affect whether people feel comfortable spending time outside or going out socially.
Police have not publicly released the name of the resident who fired the shots. Authorities also have not announced criminal charges against him. The available police accounts describe his statement to responding officers, but detectives are still investigating the full sequence of events and the circumstances that led to the shooting.
Several details remain unresolved publicly, including the nature of the dispute referenced in the charging documents and the exact relationship, if any, between the resident and the three men before the confrontation. Authorities have not released a complete account of the evidence gathered by homicide detectives, and the investigation remains open.
Police have emphasized that the incident appears to have been targeted rather than a continuing danger to the neighborhood. Still, residents said the shooting has unsettled a community where such violence is considered unusual. Detectives are continuing to investigate and have asked anyone with information about the case to contact Baltimore County police.
Author note: Last updated November 2, 2026.