MANCHESTER, NH – On July 12, 2022, at approximately 1:20 p.m., a Manchester officer working a construction detail was approached by a man who reported that an individual had just threatened him with a gun.
Officers responded to 261 W. Hancock Street, where the incident reportedly occurred.
Through the course of the investigation, a suspect was identified as Elias Dawley, 28, of Greenfield. The victim said he had gotten into an altercation with Dawley inside a first-floor bedroom, and Dawley pointed a gun at him. The victim was able to run from the building. However, Dawley was believed to still be inside, along with several other people.
Police set up a perimeter and attempted to contact the people inside. Several people exited the building, but Dawley did not. SWAT officers responded to assist, and commands were made for Dawley to come outside. Dawley refused to exit, and SWAT officers used a robot and drone to locate Dawley in the basement of the residence. Dawley continued to refuse to leave, and SWAT officers and a K9 and handler went inside and found Dawley well hidden in a crawl space. Dawley remained uncooperative with officers, and the K9 was used to safely take him into custody.
Dawley was arrested and charged with criminal threatening, attempted armed robbery, and resisting arrest. It was also determined that Dawley had several outstanding warrants including a parole violation stemming from an aggravated assault charge, a robbery charge out of Nashua, and two electronic bench warrants.
