Disturbed Man Threatens To Kill Minorities At New Jersey Mall

An obviously troubled man sent disturbing text messages "that he was going to go to an unknown mall to 'f*cking kill them'," while using racial slurs, according to Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey Police Capt. Joseph Rinke.

This was a direct reference that the man threatened to kill minorities.

Frank Passaro, of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey was arrested and charged with:

Multiple counts of making terroristic threats.

Passaro, 66 years old, is being held for psychiatric evaluation, said Rinke.

The challenge for law enforcement was that Passaro didn’t confirm which mall he might actually commit his text threat.

Rinke confirmed that Passaro not in the possession of any weapons.

The Paramus Police Department “was able to arrest Passaro without incident in the north parking garage at the Garden State Plaza,” yesterday, Friday afternoon, February 18, 2022, said Rinke.

Law enforcement also obtain search warrants and found no weapons in Passaro’s car or home. These facts were confirmed by Rinke, who also confirmed that no weapons are registered to Passaro.

This was a successful collaboration between the Paramus and Hasbrouck Heights Police Departments throughout this successful apprehension.

They got a big break in the case when a friend of Passaro’s advised them of Passaro’s threat.

Rinke said that the “friend” told them that Passaro was "upset over a verdict that came out today and was going to seek revenge against minorities, either African-American or Asian," said Rinke.

The Paramus police found Passaro's car on the third level of the Garden State Plaza parking garage and found Passaro shortly there after.

Rinke thanked the following for their assistance: