Employee At Sayreville Strip Club Had AK-47 Inside, Police Say

SAYREVILLE, NJ — A man wearing a bullet-proof vest and armed with an AK-47 was arrested outside a Sayreville strip club off Rt. 35 yesterday, Tuesday, Sept. 11.

The man, Kevin Smith, “a/k/a” Kevin Papalia, 32, of Keyport, was an employee of the club, the Middlesex County prosecutor's office said. When Patch called the business, Visions Gentlemen’s Club, a man who answered the phone declined to answer any questions. This was formerly known as "The Den."

The incident started at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11: Sayreville police received a call to respond to Visions Gentlemen's Club off Rt. 35 in the Melrose section of Sayreville after receiving a call that an employee was inside with a gun.

When police got there, they saw Smith quickly exit the building and drive away. At the time, Smith was wearing a ballistic vest, military-style helmet, and was carrying a firearm, police said.

Smith was stopped a short distance from the club where he surrendered. Police said they removed a black tactical ballistic vest off him, and recovered a helmet, and an AK-47-style firearm, along with a loaded magazine for that weapon.

After being taken into custody, Smith was transported to Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy. Traffic on Rt. 35 at the Victory Bridge was diverted during the investigation.

A search of the club revealed a second tactical vest and several loaded, large-capacity magazines from inside the manager’s office, police said.

"I'm not going to talk about that over the phone," an employee at the club repeated several times when Patch called Wednesday.

Furthermore, officers said they recovered a rifle, over 1,000 rounds of ammunition, and body armor from Smith’s residence in Keyport.

“This incident quickly unfolded and the decision not to immediately confront this individual was the right choice," said Sayreville Police Chief John Zebrowski. "The restraint utilized by the responding officers defused a potentially tragic confrontation.”

Smith was charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, Unlawful Possession of Large Capacity Magazines, and Unlawful use of a Body Vest.

The investigation is active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Captain Jack Fitzsimmons, Division Commander, of the Sayreville Police Department at 732-525-5409.

“On 9/11, a day in America’s history where, we show our support for our first responders, we are indebted to the police officers involved in this matter for their extraordinary efforts to preserve life and keep the community safe," said Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey, who also thanked Keyport police for their assistance going to Smith's home.

Exterior of club via Google Earth.