Woodson faces multiple offenses, including second-degree unlawful weapons possession and fourth-degree possession of prohibited weapons, Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne Forrest told reporters with the Star Ledger newspaper.

At the time of his arrest, Woodson was wearing body armor and carrying a .223-caliber assault rifle that had been altered to fire .50-caliber ammunition. He was also carrying four loaded magazines with hollow-point ammunition, Forrest told reporters.

Branchburg police confronted Woodson at about four in the morning at a convenience store after receiving a call reporting a suspicious person.

Branchburg Patrolman Steven Cronce noticed a bulge beneath the military-style jacket he was wearing and that Woodson was extremely nervous when he questioned him.

At some point during Patrolman Cronce’s conversation with the suspect, Woodson made a run for it. Conce and his fellow officers found Woodson hiding in the bushes. He tried again to flee but was tackled and subdued with pepper spray by the officers on the scene.

During a subsequent search of Woodson’s room at the Red Mill Inn, detectives found a wide assortment of weapons. They included a .308-caliber semi-automatic rifle with a defaced serial number, a grenade launcher, hundreds .50-caliber and .308-caliber rounds, a police scanner, and the maps of a U.S. military installation and an out-of-state civilian community, Somerset County prosecutor Forrest told reporters.

Woodson, who is a Navy veteran, had been staying at the hotel for about a week. Investigators said that they also found Middle Eastern red and white traditional headdresses, Forrest said.

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Please note: comments must be approved by the moderator and may not appear immediately.

Add Comment