Sussex County man accused of initiating argument, brandishing knife at community event

FRANKLIN BOROUGH, NJ (Sussex County) – A Sussex County man is accused of initiating an argument and then brandishing a knife at a community event in Franklin Borough.

On Saturday, June 29, police received a complaint from several witnesses of the Franklin Nite community event that a man had stabbed a knife into a picnic table during a dispute near the Franklin pond, police said.

A police investigation revealed that Christian Hansen III, 37, of Franklin Borough had allegedly initiated an argument with four other men at the basketball court near the live entertainment area, police said.

During the dispute, Hansen allegedly brandished a folding knife and drove it into a nearby picnic table in full view of attending families and children, police said.

Hansen was taken into custody and charged with disorderly conduct and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

He was then released pending a court appearance and was escorted from the property after the incident concluded, police said.