Credit: Horsham Police Department.
Police in Upper Moreland Township are investigating a reported gun incident that occurred Friday night at a Horsham apartment complex, according to police.
Officers responded at about 8:34 p.m. on March 13 to the Blair Mill Village East Apartments, 3855 Blair Mill Road, after receiving a report of a man with a firearm behind the complex’s laundry building.
Dispatchers told police the man had already left the area as a passenger in a white Nissan Sentra before officers arrived. Police initially searched the area but did not locate the vehicle.
An offcer spoke with two people at the scene, who told police that Max Direnzo, 20, of Horsham, had displayed a firearm during an argument. The victim told police the dispute involved Direnzo’s mother, Regina Direnzo, and escalated when Max allegedly removed a handgun from a vehicle.
The victim told police the white Nissan belonged to Regina Direnzo, who lives at the apartment complex.
When officers spoke with Regina Direnzo, she said the conflict began during an argument with the victims over property kept in two shared storage units. She told officers Stephen Dingas was driving her Nissan Sentra at the time, with Max Direnzo riding as the passenger, and that her handgun was inside the glove compartment.
While officers were speaking with Regina Direnzo, Max called her on the phone, and was persuaded to return to the apartment complex.
Police said that at approximately 8:54 p.m., Max Direnzo and Dingas returned and were detained by officers.
A second officer who arrived on scene said Max Direnzo gave consent to search the vehicle and told police the firearm was still inside. Regina Direnzo also provided written consent for the search.
At about 9:28 p.m., officers searched the Nissan Sentra. Police found a black Sig Sauer P365 handgun and a magazine loaded with 9mm ammunition. Police said the magazine was not inserted in the gun and there was no round in the chamber.
According to police, the dispute was tied to a complicated personal relationship and an argument over belongings.
While trying to retrieve items from the storage units, Regina told police an argument broke out and the victim told her to rent a U-Haul truck if she wanted the property returned. Police said she later retrieved her firearm from a safe at the apartment, placed it in the glove box of her Nissan, rented a U-Haul truck and brought Max Direnzo and Dingas with her to help move items.
The group later met at the storage units where the argument continued.
The victim told police that during the dispute, he noticed Max Direnzo displaying the firearm and allegedly said to him, “Do you want to [expletive] die?” Ervin told officers the gun was displayed but not pointed directly at him and that he did not know if it was loaded.
Max Direnzo admitted to removing the firearm from the glove compartment but told police he knew it was not loaded. He also claimed the victim was the aggressor and alleged that the victim struck his mother during the confrontation.
Police said the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Direnzo posted bail, which was set at $15,000.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 27, 2026 at 11:45 a.m. before Judge Thomas P. Murt.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
