Paramus Police Chief Christopher Brock said 63-year-old Khalet Ringo is a two-decade employee of Exxon who "had a beef with the company."
The chief says Ringo pulled a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun on a company official - though the weapon may have been an inoperable one that had been converted into a cap gun. The official got away not long after the confrontation, which began around 11 a.m..
But Ringo remained in the building and authorities evacuated dozens of others who were working in the two-story building.
It wasn't until nearly 2 p.m. that officials finally brought Ringo out of the building and drove him away in a police cruiser.
Brock said officers were negotiating with Ringo through a door with little success until a Bergen County K-9 handler realized that he knew Ringo.
So he talked to him, Brock said.
"We're very fortunate that he knew this gentleman and was able to open up a dialogue to get this resolved quicker than it probably would have," Brock said.
Brock said no one, including Ringo, was injured during the standoff.
But it did cause tension for workers at several businesses.
Robert Hakim was in his office, a Prudential insurance agent in the building, said his assistant opened the office door to see more than a half-dozen police officers marching through the hallway.
"She jumped," he said. "She got really scared."
Then, he said, police ordered the building evacuated.
