HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. — A 32-year-old man was charged with disorderly conduct Friday after allegedly brandishing a toy AK-47-style rifle without an orange safety tip, prompting a lockdown at a local hospital and elementary school, police said.
In New Jersey, having a realistic toy firearm without an orange tip is illegal. In fact, Amazon and other resellers no longer ship toy guns to New Jersey because of a law enacted by Governor Phil Murphy in 2020.
Key Points
- Police responded to reports of a man with an AK-47-style weapon near a hospital
- Lockdowns were issued at Hackettstown Medical Center and a nearby school
- The weapon was later found to be a toy gun; the man was charged and released
The incident unfolded around 2:20 p.m. in the 600 block of Willow Grove Street, where officers responded to reports of an armed individual who appeared to be pointing a rifle in the direction of Hackettstown Medical Center. Responding units secured the scene and imposed lockdowns at both the medical center and nearby Willow Grove Elementary School.
Upon further investigation, authorities determined the weapon was a toy gun lacking the required orange tip, making it appear realistic.
The man, identified as William Meza, 32, of Hackettstown, was taken into custody without incident.
Meza was charged with disorderly conduct, a disorderly persons offense under New Jersey law, and was released pending a court appearance.
Assisting in the response were officers from the Hackettstown Department of Public Works, as well as police departments from Mansfield, Independence, and Washington Township in Morris County.