On April 26, 2023, members of the Atlantic City Police Department’s Special Investigations Section conducted an investigation that resulted in four arrests and the recovery of a handgun and drugs. Police got a report of a man with a handgun and saw the man, 18 year old Brian Lott, traveling as a passenger in a pickup truck that was being operated by 54 year old John Brown. 54 year old Steve Montgomery and 27 year old Racheal Kirkpatrick were also passengers in the vehicle.
The detectives subsequently conducted a motor vehicle stop in the first block of south Morris Avenue. Upon approaching the pickup, Lott was ordered to exit the rear seat of the vehicle. As Lott exited the vehicle, he resisted and attempted to run as Detective Barrett struggled to gain control of him. An officer was able to secure a satchel that Lott was carrying before Lott broke free and began running north on Morris Avenue. Lott was in possession of three wax folds of suspected heroin and $50 in US currency. The satchel Lott was carrying was found to contain a ghost gun. The recovered handgun was determined to be a ‘ghost gun’ that was fitted with a high-capacity magazine and loaded with hollow point ammunition. The continuing investigation led to the discovery of approximately 1.7 grams of suspected crack cocaine in the vehicle.