MANCHESTER, NJ – Police in Manchester have reportedly detained a social media influencer with nearly half a million followers in Ocean County after reports that he was armed and dangerous, with possible intent to harm others on Saturday night.
Update: Manchester police have charged Chris Lyle with harassment on a criminal complaint summons. He has been ordered to appear in Manchester Municipal Court on November 19th. At this time, it has been reported that all of his firearms have been seized by police as a safety precaution. Court records indicate Lyle was charged with Harassment – Communication in manner to cause alarm 2C:33-4(A). As of Sunday night, Lyle is reportedly still in custody.
Shortly after 7:00 pm, police detained the man after making alleged serious physical and harassing threats against others after a social media page was launched, exposing the influencer’s inconsistencies.
Early reports indicate that the man is being held under psychiatric evaluation pending possible criminal charges. As a precaution, police have also reportedly seized the man’s firearms.
He has not yet been officially charged or booked into the Ocean County Jail. The man’s black pickup truck still remained at the Wawa parking lot hours after the arrest.
At this time, police have not released the man’s name or made any official statement on this potentially blockbuster arrest. The page managed by the individual has been dormant since his detainment last night.
The man is reportedly the owner of Jersey Coast Emergency News, which has come under fire by critics in recent weeks. Another administrator of that page has had a complaint filed against him for harassment of a woman, in an incident that was captured on camera.
This a breaking local news story. We will provide more information as details are released and breaking news on charges pending against a second moderator of that page.
