JERSEY CITY, N.J. - (WABC) -- Police have seized dozens of weapons from a home in Jersey City.

It is awesome firepower. Weapons that could fire rounds to pierce bullet proof vests and do considerable damage.

Jersey City police discovered the weapons on Friday after responding to a call of a man threatening another man with a handgun.

According to investigators, the victim was repairing his Ford Windstar in the driveway of 89 Dwight Street. When he went to the rear of 87 Dwight Street to retrieve a part for his van, the suspect, 55-year-old Edwin Wise, came out of 87 Dwight Street, approached him and said, "get off of my property." Mr. Wise then removed what appeared to be a black handgun from the small of his back and placed the gun to the victim's head and threatened him, police said. The victim then ran for safety and called for help.

Police recovered 28 firearms from Wise's home - 20 handguns, 3 shotguns, 3 rifles and 2 assault rifles - including the .380 semi-automatic handgun that was used against the victim.

Police said the weapons were strategically placed in the house near windows, fully loaded and ready for battle.

Wise has been called a survivalist because the house was stocked with food, water and weapons. Police say Wise hasn't been allowed to LEGALLY buy any guns since 1975.

Authorities say the guns were purchased in North and South Carolina where Wise simply altered his name and social security number to buy high powered assault weapons and ten thousand rounds of ammunition.

"This is a classic example of someone who was rejected by the State of New Jersey to own and possess firearms, but who used alternative routes to purchase more than two dozen deadly weapons in a gun-liberal 2 southern state," said Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy.

Investigators believe if the guns had gotten into the hands of criminals, the carnage would have been incredible because they are weapons for war.

Charged in weapons seizure after threat, say police

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

A short-tempered 55-year-old Jersey City man was arrested Friday after police found a stockpile of illegal firearms in his home, reports say.

According to police reports, a neighbor briefly had stepped onto Edwin D. Wise's property on Dwight Street to retrieve a car part that had fallen off his vehicle when Wise pulled out a black handgun from the small of his back, pointed it at the victim's head, and told him to "get off (his) property."

The neighbor called police, who searched Wise's home and said they found 28 illegal firearms - 20 handguns, three shotguns, three rifles, and two assault rifles.

Wise was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and 28 separate counts of unlawful possession of a weapon.

JONATHAN SHAPIRO