When a 38-year-old man barricaded himself inside his former home this past Thursday, refusing to come out, the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team flipped out, causing widespread panic including a nearby school lockdown and a ‘shelter in place’ warning.

According to an article in the Asbury Park Patch, the man, Steven Greene, formerly of 58 Society Hill Way in Tinton Falls, is charged with second-degree burglary, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, third-degree criminal mischief, fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and two counts of fourth-degree contempt.

With that list of charges, one would probably surmise that this was an extremely perilous situation where many lives were at risk! For a school lockdown to have occurred, there must have been dangerous weapons in that house with the alleged perp! Automatic weapons perhaps? Explosives? Numerous guns a’blazing?

Nope. Turns out that Wright is alleged to have had a hammer in his possession. A hammer. And with the hammer, he was causing damage to the inside of the house. Move along, kids. Nothing to see here.

It’s bad enough that we lock down schools at the slightest comment, veiled threat or innuendo, but apparently there’s a new paradigm here in New Jersey: Pandemonium now ensues over household tools. Sheesh. What’s next, curling irons?

More from New Jersey 101.5:

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM