Police in New Jersey shot and killed a man armed with a machete during a confrontation at a Piscataway home Monday evening, an incident that led authorities to discover three people dead inside the residence, as reported by The New York Post.
According to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, officers were dispatched to a home on River Road in Piscataway at approximately 5:30 p.m. following a 911 call reporting an individual with a knife.
Law enforcement sources told WABC that when officers arrived, an unidentified man charged toward them while wielding a large blade.
Police shot and killed a knife wielding man and later found three people dead inside of a home on Rive Road in Piscataway, New Jersey, on January 5, 2026. Police officers from the Piscataway Police Department responded to a residence on River Road at approximately 5:30 p.m. on… pic.twitter.com/gISCvpue1Q
— Kyle Mazza (@KyleMazzaWUNF) January 6, 2026
Sources told Fox 5 that the weapon was identified as a machete. Officers attempted to stop the suspect by deploying tasers, but those efforts were unsuccessful, according to WABC.
Authorities said the man continued advancing toward officers with the weapon, prompting police to open fire. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
After the shooting, officers conducted a search of the home and discovered three people dead inside, authorities confirmed.
The victims have not yet been publicly identified. A source told WABC that two of the victims were grandparents.
The identity of the third victim and the relationship between the suspect and the deceased individuals have not been released.
Officials said the causes of death for the three victims were not immediately clear late Monday. Investigators have not disclosed whether the victims were killed prior to police arriving or if they died during the unfolding incident.
The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office did not immediately respond to media requests for additional details late Monday evening.
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Piscataway, New Jersey
Officers from the Piscataway Police Department responded to a residence on River Road at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 5.
The… pic.twitter.com/Irvluv8Sae
— Crime In NYC (@Crime_In_NYC) January 6, 2026
The office, along with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, is handling the investigation into both the police-involved shooting and the deaths discovered inside the home.
Piscataway Township Police said the incident appears to be isolated and that there is no ongoing threat to the public. In a statement posted on Facebook, the department said there was no danger to the surrounding community following the incident.
“We are aware of the horrific crime in Middlesex County tonight. All our members that were involved are being evaluated. Thank you to all who have reached [out] to offer support,” New Jersey State PBA President Peter Andreyev said in a statement.
Authorities have not released further information about the suspect, including his age or identity, and have not indicated whether any prior calls for service were associated with the residence.
Investigators also have not announced a timeline for releasing additional details as the case develops.
The investigation remains active as officials work to determine what led up to the confrontation with police and the deaths of the three individuals found inside the home.
