TRENTON — The state Attorney General's Office concluded in a report released Friday that police were justified in killing an Ocean County man who had once told them he was "going to get a cop to shoot me."

Twenty-seven-year-old Michael Laniado died Feb. 6 in Toms River after a standoff with authorities at a mobile home park.

The confrontation began late Feb. 5 when police from Manchester arrived at the residence where Laniado lived with his girlfriend, Shayna Palmieri, to serve Palmieri with a child support warrant, according to the report.

Laniado refused to let Palmieri go with police, the report said, touching off a standoff that lasted until early the next morning. Members of the Ocean County SWAT team responded and sought to negotiate with Laniado.

Friday's report said one officer fired less-lethal blunt force projectiles at Laniado after he exited the mobile home holding a knife and pulling Palmieri with him.

Two officers fired real bullets after Laniado tossed the first knife over his shoulder, produced a second knife and charged at them.

The report concluded the officers reasonably believed their actions were necessary to protect themselves and Laniado's girlfriend.

One of the officers told investigators he had responded to Laniado's residence in 2014 after Laniado had called the police department and said, "I'm going to be famous ... I'm going to get a cop to shoot me."

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