Police say armed NJ man told family he wanted to 'kill people'

MANCHESTER — A family member's tip about a "mentally unstable" 25-year-old man who had a loaded gun and who they say voiced intent to cause violence helped avoid a potential tragedy, according to police.

Township police received a call Saturday saying that the man armed with a semi-automatic rifle had told a relative that he wanted to “kill people.”

Officers responded to a Pine Lake Park residence, where they said they were able to speak to the man and convince him to leave peacefully.

After searching the home, police said they recovered a loaded rifle and a "large quantity of ammunition" from the man's room, as well as a second rifle from the attic.

"These department members did an outstanding job de-escalating a situation which could have easily ended in tragedy," Manchester Police Chief Lisa Parker said in a written release.

Police say armed NJ man told family he wanted to ‘kill people’