MANCHESTER, NH – Manchester Fire and AMR ambulance responded to a call for an unresponsive man at Derryfield Park on Bridge Street Sunday at about 7:40 a.m. Firefighters reported the person was deceased and the Manchester Police responded to the scene.
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Police immediately cordoned off a large area of the park with crime scene tape and several cruisers were stationed at entrances to the park, playground, and several sports fields.
Detectives were seen going door-to-door on Bridge Street as well adjoining side streetss. A person who arrived to set up one of the sports fields was told the scene was being secured by police to search for shell casings.
Neighbors who gathered at the park watching investigators said that several of them heard what they thought were firecrackers early Sunday morning but were not certain if that was related to the incident.
In a press release with limited details Manchester Police and Attorney General John Formella confirmed they were investigating a “suspicious death” of an adult male in Manchester. “The male was found this morning in the area of Al Lemire Park at Derryfield Park off Bridge Street.”
Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg in the press release said, “The investigation is ongoing and additional information will be released as it becomes available while protecting the integrity of the investigation.”
Sunday morning several people gathered at the edge park identifying themselves as family and friends of the victim. In emotional pleas to authorities, they asked to see the victim and were turned away while investigators worked. A detective spoke to some of the family members explaining it was early in the investigation and it would be several hours before access was available. The family members said the male was in his early 20s and was a Manchester resident.
Police placed evidence markers, photographed the scene and gathered evidence that was brought to the crime lab truck. A body could be seen on the hill leading to the sports field and to the left of the playground.
