ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Atlantic City police safely resolved a potentially dangerous situation Friday evening after responding to reports of an armed man aboard a boat at Farley Marina at the Golden Nugget.
According to a November 7 news release from the Atlantic City Police Department, officers responded to the marina on November 6 after a woman contacted authorities expressing concerns for her boyfriend's safety.
Police said the man was aboard a vessel with a loaded handgun and had reportedly threatened to harm himself and others.
The situation prompted a response involving crisis negotiators, SWAT personnel and officers using drone technology to monitor the vessel and help coordinate a safe resolution.
According to police, responding officers deployed a drone equipped with live video capabilities to locate the boat and observe the situation from a distance.
The technology provided real-time information to officers and specialized personnel on the scene, allowing them to monitor the man's movements while working to resolve the crisis without violence.
As negotiations and police operations continued, the drone captured the man exiting the vessel.
Officers monitoring the live video relayed that information to personnel positioned along the dock, allowing them to approach and make contact with him.
Police said the man surrendered without incident and was taken into custody without anyone being injured.
He was subsequently transported to a hospital for evaluation.
The department did not release the man's identity or provide additional details about the circumstances that led to the incident.
No criminal charges had been filed as of the initial police report.
The incident highlights the growing role of drone technology in emergency police responses, particularly in situations where officers must assess potential threats while maintaining a safe distance.
In this case, police said the combination of aerial surveillance, crisis negotiation and tactical personnel helped bring the potentially dangerous encounter to a peaceful conclusion.
This is a developing story. South Jersey NewsBeat will provide updates as additional information becomes available.
