Ex-Employee Charged With Terroristic Threats Against Bergen Meat Plant

CARLSTADT, NJ — Police arrested a man who threatened to "kill everyone inside" of his former workplace at a meat producing plant in Carlstadt on Tuesday, officials said.

Mark Brownridge has been charged with terroristic threats (a third-degree crime), disorderly conduct (a petty offense), false public alarm (a second-degree crime), and contempt of court order (a fourth-degree crime), Deputy Chief Thomas Cox said.

Carlstadt police got a call from a former employee of Wonder Meats on Broad Street at 5:55 p.m. Tuesday, Cox said. The man said "he was on his way to his former employer’s location to kill everyone inside the building and that we [CPD Officers] better get there to stop him," Cox wrote in a news release.

An employee at Wonder Meats called police around the same time to report "that a recently terminated employee had just called the business and made similar threats to them," Cox said.

Carlstadt police went to the Wonder Meats building immediately, Cox said. The Bergen County Regional SWAT squad, Bergen County Sheriff's Office, and police from East Rutherford, Wood-Ridge and Moonachie were also on-site, according to Cox.

"At that time, there were only five employees located inside the building. All were evacuated and three were transported to CPD headquarters and interviewed. Officer remained on scene until it was determined that the former employee was not near the area."

Wonder Meats' website lists the Carlstadt location as its headquarters.

Police traced a suspect, Mark Brownridge (also known as Mark Sims) by his cell phone, Cox said.

"Tracking efforts showed Brownridge was located in the area of Penn Station in Newark," Cox said. "With the assistance of NJ Transit Police at Penn Station, Brownridge was apprehended without incident and transported to Carlstadt Police headquarters."

Officers took him to the Bergen County Jail to await his bail hearing, Cox said.