A man who walked into a crowded church and killed two parishioners was arrested in 2016 by Linden authorities for carrying a gun near the refineries.
In a 2016 statement released by Linden Police to RLS Media, a Texas man was disarmed and arrested after an area resident contacted police about a suspicious male in the area of the refinery September 12th.
Officers responded to Lower Road near the Public Works garage on a report of a suspicious person on a bicycle shortly before 4:30 p.m.
According to police, a resident reported that the suspicious man was inquiring about photographing the oil tank field at the Phillips 66 refinery.
Officers responded and found the man near Memorial Park. The man, later identified as Keith Thomas Kinnunen, 39, of River Oaks, Texas, told officers that he was travelling from Texas but is currently homeless.
He also said he takes photographs of interesting sites, police said.
Officers checked Kinnunen for warrants and found he was wanted in Oklahoma on a contempt warrant for felony aggravated assault. While checking his property, officers discovered a Mossberg .12 gauge shotgun and rounds wrapped in plastic.
Kinnunen was placed under arrest then charged with unlawful possession of a weapon.
He was housed at the Union County Jail on $20,000 bail with a court date scheduled for September 19th.
Linden Police did not confirm of the suspect is the same person responsible for the Texas church shooting.
A video livestreamed from the church, seen appeared to show the shooting from start to finish. The video released on CNN showed the gunman open fire inside church
According to the video, the shooter can be seen in the video seated in a pew wearing dark clothing before he gets up and approaches someone in a back corner and appears to talk to them.
CNN said the individual gestures towards the center of the church before the shooter pulls out a shotgun and starts firing. As gunfire ensues, some parishioners are seen taking cover under their pews while others rush out of the sanctuary.