SALEM TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- A man with a rifle sparked a massive state police presence Tuesday morning in Wayne County.
The parking lot of Shaffer's Hardware right near the Route 590/348 split was packed with state police around 9 a.m. after that report of a man with a gun just down the road.
Photos given to us by a viewer show that man with a rifle in his neighbor's yard around 8 a.m.
Investigators say Dylan Hopkins, 45, was spotted walking around his neighbor's yard. The man inside the home called 911 and a big number of troopers rushed there.
According to court papers, Hopkins was pacing back and forth behind trees and pointing the rifle at the home along Route 590.
A state police helicopter flew over around 9:30 a.m. but then troopers say they were able to get the homeowner to safety and have Hopkins turn over the gun.
By 10 a.m., the situation was resolved. Hopkins was in custody without any shots fired but it caused quite a scene in the Hamlin area.
"I don't know. I was headed down to Dickson City and got passed by a bunch of state troopers. I was wondering what was going on there were just cops everywhere," David Aleckna said.
"We received a complaint from neighbors who were concerned there was a man in their backyard with a rifle. He seemed to be in distress. With that in mind we had a large response to the area," said Trooper Mark Keyes.
Around 9 a.m., trooper after trooper started filling up the parking lot at Shaffer's Hardware near Hamlin. Hunter's Gallery locked up as a precaution because of all the firearms inside and nearby Evergreen Elementary didn't allow students and teachers outside until the threat was over.
The man carrying the gun lives across Route 590 from the home where he was spotted with that rifle.
Troopers blocked off roads in the area and say Hopkins put down his weapon and surrendered when they approached him.
"We had customers at the windows and we didn't know for a while what was going on. Then we seen the unmarked cars in Shaffer's," said Diane Brown at Country Café.
The closed roads and huge police presence had folks in the Hamlin area wondering what was going on.
"We heard the helicopters. We heard he was captured or surrendered and all was well."
No one was hurt and troopers said no shots were fired.
Hopkins at last check was being evaluated at a hospital for mental health. He's charged with making terroristic threats and wasn't supposed to have a firearm because of a previous conviction.