A movie theater in New Jersey was evacuated after patrons heard a series of loud explosions outside. Police in Howell received numerous 911 calls about shots fired and rushed to the Xscape theater just after 6 p.m. on Wednesday (January 1).
While waiting for the police to arrive, the theater manager realized that the explosions were the result of fireworks that had been set off outside of a nearby business. He confronted the culprit, who explained that he set them off while his friend proposed to his girlfriend.
Police spoke with the man, identified as 23-year-old Nathan Sanders, and determined he did not intend to harm anybody or cause panic inside the theater. He was taken into custody and charged with disorderly conduct and a fireworks infraction.
"Obviously, this was a very poor decision rather than an overt act," officials wrote on Facebook.
Photo: Howell Police