A bloody and bewildering crime scene unfolded in a quiet New Jersey neighborhood after police shot and killed a machete-wielding man, then made a horrifying discovery inside his home: three other people found dead, their bodies hidden from view until officers pushed through the front door.
The chaos began when frightened neighbors dialed 911 to report the crime, noting a man roaming outside a residence armed with a large machete, acting erratically and threatening violence. Responding officers arrived on River Road in Piscataway in Middlesex County around 5:30 p.m to find the suspect in a highly agitated state, ignoring commands to drop the weapon as he advanced toward New Jersey police.
New Jersey authorities say the confrontation with the machete-wielding man escalated rapidly. As officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, the man reportedly charged, machete raised, forcing police to open fire. He was struck and pronounced dead at the scene despite life-saving efforts.
Police Shoot Suspect – Three people found dead inside NJ home after – Middlesex https://t.co/tyINBNmK3B
— FreedomNews.Tv FNTV (@FreedomNTV) January 6, 2026
What New Jersey police found next stunned even seasoned investigators. Upon securing the residence, officers entered the home and discovered three additional bodies inside. All three victims were pronounced dead at the scene, turning what initially appeared to be an isolated police shooting into a multi-fatality homicide investigation.
New Jersey law enforcement sources described the interior of the home as disturbing and chaotic, with signs of violence that suggested the killings occurred before the machete-wielding suspect’s fatal encounter with police. Investigators have not yet released the identities of the victims or the suspect, pending family notification.
Neighbors said the New Jersey home had raised few red flags before the deadly incident, though some recalled seeing the suspect acting strangely in recent weeks. One resident described hearing yelling earlier in the day but said no one expected it would end in bloodshed.
New Jersey police have not confirmed the relationship between the suspect and the three deceased victims, but investigators are working under the assumption that the killings occurred inside the home prior to officers being called. Detectives are examining whether the victims were family members or acquaintances and whether the suspect lived at the residence.
Officials stressed that officers were left with no choice when faced with an armed individual advancing toward them. “This was an active and dangerous situation,” one New Jersey law enforcement source said. “The suspect was armed with a deadly weapon and refused repeated commands. Officers acted to protect themselves and the public.”
The New Jersey incident has rattled the surrounding community, transforming an otherwise ordinary street into the scene of a major crime investigation. Police vehicles and crime scene tape cordoned off the area for hours as forensic teams combed the home for evidence.
Homicide investigation underway at N.J. home, police say https://t.co/ETLOFd93GH
— njdotcom (@njdotcom) January 6, 2026
Authorities have not yet determined a motive, and it remains unclear what sparked the initial violence inside the house. New Jersey investigators are reviewing surveillance footage, phone records, and any prior police calls involving the suspect.
The case involving the machete-wielding man also underscores the dangers officers face responding to volatile domestic situations, particularly when edged weapons are involved. New Jersey law enforcement officials noted that machetes, while often dismissed as tools, are capable of inflicting devastating injuries in seconds.
As the investigation continues in New Jersey, prosecutors are expected to review the police shooting, as required in officer-involved deaths. At the same time, homicide detectives are working to piece together a timeline of events that led to three people losing their lives before police ever arrived.
For residents of the Middlesex County neighborhood in New Jersey, the shock remains raw. What began as a routine police call ended with four bodies, unanswered questions, and a community struggling to comprehend how such violence erupted behind closed doors — until it spilled into the street in a deadly confrontation.
