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Charges Still Pending Against Crofton Man Accused In Shooting Plot

CROFTON, Md. (WJZ) -- There are new details about the Maryland man police say called himself  " a joker" and was found with an arsenal of weapons after threatening to shoot up his workplace.

Monique Griego has the latest from those who knew him.

Early Friday morning, SWAT teams raided an apartment at a Crofton complex, and what they found surprised everyone. Police confiscated an arsenal of guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition they say belonged to 28-year-old Neil Edwin Prescott.

"I think we were surprised by the amount and types of weapons inside that apartment," said Major Edward Bergin, Anne Arundel County Police.

Prescott was reportedly in the process of being fired, when police say he called his supervisor at Pitney Bowes in Prince George's County and threatened to go on a shooting rampage.

"In fact, he said, 'I'm a joker and I'm going to load my guns and blow everyone up,'" said Prince George's County Police Chief Mark Magaw.

The Batman reference especially set off alarms for police following the recent theater massacre in Colorado.

"We take all threats seriously, and if you're going to make a threat we will take action," said Magaw.

One of Prescott's friends recently described him as a "gentle giant" with a sarcastic sense of humor, and that he did not intend for his comments to be taken seriously.

Neighbors in Catonsville where he grew up also talked about his calm demeanor.

"He's very quiet, [kept] to himself in his room. His parents wanted him to go to college, but he decided to be a computer geek," one neighbor said.

Prescott is currently undergoing a psychiatric evaluation. Charges against him are still pending.

"I believe we thwarted some serious violence that could have happened and certainly potentially saved lives," said Anne Arundel County Police Chief James Teare.

Prescott is currently being held at the Anne Arundel Medical Center.

Police say his medical evaluation could take up to a week and that they are considering both state and federal charges.

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