NJ man showed rifle to Wawa worker before SWAT standoff, cops say

MONTGOMERY — A Skillman man took out an AR-15 rifle in a Wawa parking lot before fleeing and barricading himself in his home, according to Somerset County prosecutors.

Joshua Kinney, 27, is accused of bringing the firearm to the Wawa on Route 206 and showing it to an employee early Saturday morning. Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald said this triggered an hours-long investigation and standoff with SWAT.

Montgomery police were called to the Wawa around 3:15 a.m. but Kinney had fled in a vehicle by the time cops arrived, McDonald said.

Responding police spoke with two customers who said that they heard what sounded like gunshots as Kinney drove off. However, prosecutors did not confirm the gunfire or state that bullet casings were found in the area.

As investigators tried piecing together what had happened, McDonald said that 911 dispatchers received a call from a "concerned family member" of Kinney. Authorities quickly connected Kinney to the incident at Wawa and tracked him to his house on Zion-Wertsville Road in Skillman.

Montgomery police, with assistance from Hillsborough officers, surrounded the home. They saw Kinney's vehicle — the same one seen at Wawa — and called in help from Somerset County SWAT at 5:20 a.m., according to McDonald.

Law enforcement was soon able to reach Kinney by phone. He exited the home and was taken into custody shortly after 6:30 a.m., McDonald said.

Investigators also accuse Kinney of dumping the AR-15, a handgun, and a high-capacity magazine into a wooded field near Spring Hill Road. McDonald said Kinney had crashed in the area while driving back to his home from Wawa.

Prosecutors said that they were not releasing a motive for the incidents.

Kinney is charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, second-degree certain persons not to have weapons or ammunition, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon (handgun), third-degree hindering apprehension, fourth-degree obstruction, fourth-degree interception of official communications, and two counts of fourth-degree possession of a large capacity magazine.

Kinney is being held at Somerset County jail. New Jersey 101.5 has reached out to prosecutors for attorney information for Kinney.

Rick Rickman is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at richard.rickman@townsquaremedia.com

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Before you go out on the trails and explore some of our listeners' suggestions, I have some tips on hiking etiquette from the American Hiking Society.

If you are going downhill and run into an uphill hiker, step to the side and give the uphill hiker space. A hiker going uphill has the right of way unless they stop to catch their breath.

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If you are thinking of bringing your dog on your hike, they should be leashed, and make sure to clean up all pet waste.

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