Community Corner

Hackettstown 'Gunman:' I'm Mad at My Ex

Said in call to police he wants to kill students from high school

The man whose , locking down schools and other facilities, told police he wanted to kill his ex-girlfriend as well as Hackettstown students in lengthy, erratic, inconsistent conversations with police dispatchers.

Police have not yet made any arrests in the case, but after several hours determined there was not, indeed, any immediate threat to studentsm and lifted multiple lockdowns. It's not immediately clear how police ultimately made the determination or what they believe the caller's intentions were.

But in transcripts of two conversations with police dispatch that were released Monday following public records requests by multiple news publications, the caller says he has an AK47 (which he calls "my beautiful friend" on multiple occasions). He tells police he's 19 years old, and identifies himself as "Kevin McGowan." He also says he moved from Sweden to the United States, as he did during another call.

Find out what's happening in Long Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

.

The newly released transcripts are included with this post. Please note they include some profanity and other potentially disturbing language.

Find out what's happening in Long Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The caller initially seems to say he's in Hillsborough, but then later says he's in a home on Warren Street in Hackettstown. He refuses to tell police a specific house number, and insists they'll never find him.

He tells police his girlfriend goes to Hackettstown High School, and is 16 or 17 years old. Though it appears he may have told police her name, sections of the transcript have been redacted to protect her privacy.

At one point, the caller says he wants to hurt people because he "hate[s] [expletive] Americans"—after which he says he only means Hackettstown students. He claims they picked on him.

In the second conversation, the caller breaks into rap songs, makes more references to the AK47, and tells police "you cannot stop me." He shares more details about his identity—claiming he drives a white Honda Civic, reaffirming he lives on Warren Street—but still holds back an exact street address. And he says he's mad at his ex-girlfriend for breaking up with him.

When another officer speaks with the caller to try to get through to him, the officer tells him "My job is to understand you."

The caller's response: "I don't want to kill you. I just want to kill the kids."

As the conversation goes on, the caller becomes more erratic, insisting the officer is only pretending to be a police officer, and is really with the mafia.

The call ends when communication with the caller becomes incoherent—the transcript indicates he urges police to talk with him by text message, claims to be sneaking, and makes singing, burping, sneezing and snoring sounds.

Authorities have said previously they believe the calls were made from a mobile phone, and are nearly impossible to trace.

Hackettstown High School, in addition to all other public schools in the area and Centenary College, , as local and state authorities canvassed the area.

Three calls were made by the man, according to the dispatch center,

, according to Det. Darrent Tynan.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here