ABSECON — A three-hour armed barricade incident at the city’s sports complex ended peacefully Monday after an Egg Harbor Township man surrendered to police.
Shortly after 8:30 a.m. Oct. 26, Absecon police were asked to help the Egg Harbor Township Police Department locate a suspect wanted in connection with an arson investigation.
Officers located Robert McNeill, 55, of Egg Harbor Township, at the sports complex at 1000 Morton Ave., police said. McNeill was armed with a handgun, threatened to take his own life and barricaded himself inside his vehicle.
Atlantic County SWAT members, crisis negotiators and mental health professionals were called to assist. Police secured the surrounding area and evacuated nearby residents as a precaution. Absecon schools in the area were also placed under a shelter-in-place order to protect students and staff.
After approximately three hours, McNeill surrendered without incident.
The Absecon Police Department acknowledged that the response disrupted the surrounding neighborhood and generated questions and concerns among residents. Police said the precautions were necessary to protect the public while officers and other responders worked to resolve the situation safely.
The department thanked residents for their patience, cooperation and understanding.
Absecon police also thanked the Galloway Township and Egg Harbor Township police departments, Atlantic County SWAT, Atlantic County Crisis Negotiation Team, Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic County Office of Emergency Management, Galloway EMS and AtlantiCare paramedics for their assistance.
Police said the coordinated response among the agencies was instrumental in bringing the incident to a safe conclusion.
