You keep saying this as if it has anything to do with what I have said in my post.
He was clearly in the process of doing exactly that. We have no information whatsoever about why he was present at his own home on the day of the incident.
By the way in NJ owner occupied residences with 2 or fewer rental units are not subject to the full tenancy laws and he was able to move for a judgement of possession on the 8th. I have no doubt that the notices given would have informed the tenants of this and I suspect that the date is a lot more significant to the plaintiff here than it is to the defendant. The process is called “summary dispossess” and it allows a landlord in that situation to, as it is aptly named, possess a property via summary action and does not entitle the tenant to the same protections as the Anti Eviction Act would.