Suicidal Man On Northampton Blvd. Convinced To Give Up Shotgun: Police

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A man who was threatening to kill himself with a shotgun was convinced by officers to give up his gun on Wednesday morning, Toms River police said.

The man was reported by callers about 7:15 a.m. in the area of Northampton Boulevard and Executive Drive after he was seen holding a shotgun to his head, said Jillian Messina, media relations specialist for the Toms River Police Department.

Northampton Boulevard south of Route 37 is in Toms River; north of Route 37 is in Manchester.

When police arrived, the man got out of his truck, leaving the driver's side door open, Messina said, and he began walking around his truck erratically.

Because multiple witnesses had told police they had seen him holding a shotgun, police blocked off traffic and secured the area before trying to talk with the man, she said.

The man soon complied with the officers' commands and told them he wasn't planning to hurt anyone but himself, she said. He was detained and taken to Community Medical Center for an evaluation, Messina said.

Officers confirmed no one else was in the searched the man's truck and found two shotguns, one of which was loaded, she said.