Maryland Suspect Arrested for Workplace Shooting Plot: Authorities Allude to Incident as Aurora Copycat

Weapons taken from Neil Prescott's Maryland home. WJLA reported that the Prescott had a permit for collecting guns. (Photo: Jim Joslyn via WJLA)

WASHINGTON (TheBlaze/AP) — Police have arrested a Maryland man calling himself “a joker” who allegedly threatened to shoot up his workplace. Details are emerging from this arrest, including that the man was in the process of being fired.

(Related: See coverage from TheBlaze on the Aurora, Colo., shooting at the ‘Dark Knight’ screening)

Police say 28-year-old Neil Prescott of Crofton, Md., was taken into custody Friday morning. Investigators said he was wearing a T-shirt that said “Guns don’t kill people. I do.” He was taken into custody for an emergency mental health evaluation and charges are pending.

An official with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press that Prescot phoned in the threat to software and mailroom supplier Pitney Bowes near Washington, D.C. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is unfolding.

Watch officials discussing what happened (via NBC):

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WJLA, the local ABC affiliate, has more details on the case:

According to officials, the man was facing termination from his job at Pitney Bowes, the document, mailing and shipping company.

“I am a joker and I’m gonna load my guns and blow everybody up,” he allegedly said, according to documents.

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“We can’t measure what we prevented here,” Prince George’s County Police Chief Mark Magaw said. “We averted a significant…and violent episode.”

Investigators say a search of Prescott’s home turned up more than 20 guns, including assault rifles and handguns, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

WJLA reports police saying threatening calls were made to employees, one of them saying he wanted to see his former supervisor’s brains ”splattered all over the sidewalk.”

Watch the WJLA report:

Police say they considered the threat significant especially since a gunman in Colorado killed 12 people in a shooting during the latest Batman movie. WJLA reports a law enforcement member saying the situation “could have been another Aurora.”