A terrifying scene unfolded Monday evening in Piscataway when police responding to a disturbance shot and killed a machete-wielding man — then made a grim discovery inside the home.
According to multiple reports, officers with the Piscataway Police Department were dispatched to a residence along River Road around 5:30 p.m. after receiving a call about a man armed with a knife. When officers arrived, the suspect allegedly charged toward them.
Authorities attempted to subdue the man using Tasers, but those efforts were unsuccessful, sources told local outlets. As the suspect continued advancing, police opened fire, fatally shooting him at the scene. The weapon was later identified as a machete.
After securing the home, officers made a chilling discovery: three people were found dead inside the residence.
Investigators later revealed that two of the victims were grandparents. The identity of the third victim has not yet been confirmed, and authorities are still working to determine how the victims were connected to the suspect. The causes of death have also not been released.
Police confirmed that the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office are now investigating the homicide. In a statement shared by the Piscataway Township Police Department, officials stressed that the incident appears to be isolated.
“At this time, there is no danger to the general public,” the department said, adding that more information would be released as the investigation allows.
The violence stunned neighbors in what many described as a quiet, close-knit area.
“I was about to start making dinner when I heard the cops come next door,” resident Jessica Conroy said. “I looked out the window and saw them with their weapons drawn, and then we heard the shots.”
Another neighbor, Keith Heron, described the victims as kind and low-key. “Very nice lady. Very nice, quiet neighborhood,” he said. “It’s so tragic that something like this happens.”
Authorities have not yet released the names of the suspect or the victims as the investigation continues.