⇒ NEW STORY UPDATE, March 28, 5 p.m. Attorney General: Warrant check at hotel leads to deadly stand-off with police
UPDATE, 7 a.m. One man is dead and two more are barricaded inside the Quality Inn after a shootout with police and federal agents late Wednesday.
Stephen Marshall, 51, of Manchester was shot after he “engaged” with Manchester police and federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents inside the Quality Inn. He was taken from the scene and later pronounced dead, according to police.
“Manchester police officers were, for lack of a better term, they were attacked tonight. It’s something that we can’t tolerate. It’s something that we’re not going to tolerate,” Manchester Police Chief Carlo Capano said early Thursday during a news conference.
According to Senior Assistant Attorney General Ben Agati during the press briefing Thursday, Marshall was armed when he confronted police. A Manchester police officer and a DEA agent both fired their weapons, Agati said. According to protocal, the Manchester police officer was placed on administrative leave. The names of the officer and the DEA agent were not released.
SWAT has been at the Quality Inn since 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in a stand-off with two subjects holed-up at the motel on John Devine Dr.
As of Thursday morning Nashua Police SWAT was brought in to assist while Manchester’s SWAT officers were relieved of duty.
“This is common practice during prolonged incidents and we are thankful for their assistance during this dangerous and unpredictable event,” Capt. Brian O’Keefe said. “The barricaded subjects have yet to exit the motel room and we are hopeful a peaceful resolution is in the not-so-distant future.”
South Willow Street between Exit 1 north to Weston Road is closed to all traffic (both northbound and southbound). John Devine Drive at March Avenue is also closed to all traffic. Please seek alternate routes during your morning commute.
UPDATE 3:21 a.m. Additional round fired at police, but no one hurt. Negotiations ongoing but fruitless. Negotiators have used chemical agents inside the hotel room.
UPDATE: 1:15 a.m. No movement achieved toward resolution over the past 25 minutes, Capt. Brian O’Keefe reports Two subjects are barricaded inside the Quality Inn.
UPDATE: 12:50 a.m. The Manchester Police SWAT team has confirmed multiple shots fired during the past 20 minutes. Repeated attempts by police negotiators to contact the barricaded subjects have been futile over the past several minutes.
No injuries reported from the flurry of gunfire, according to Capt. Brian O’Keefe.
UPDATE 12 a.m. Police will remain at the scene as crisis negotiators continue to work to get the two barricaded subjects out of the hotel.
UPDATE 11: 15 p.m. Manchester Police SWAT team remain positioned outside the Quality Inn as police crisis negotiators make repeated attempts to get those barricaded inside the hotel to come out.
UPDATE: 10:45 p.m. Capt. Brian O’Keefe reports barricaded subjects are taking shots toward police positioned outside of the room in which they remain holed-up over the past few minutes.
UPDATE: 10:20 p.m. All guests have been safely evacuated to buses and transported from the scene, according to Capt. Brian O’Keefe. However, additional shots were heard inside of the hotel as SWAT officers were working inside the hotel.
All officers are safe at this time. Officers remain on scene with the barricaded subjects, police said, describing the scene as “fluid.”
UPDATE: 9:16 p.m. As a precautionary measure police and SWAT members are systematically evacuating guests from the Quality Inn after shots were fired and one person was transported to an area hospital.
Manchester Fire and NH State Police have arrived to assist Manchester Police.
MANCHESTER, NH — One person has been taken to an area hospital as police and SWAT remain at the Quality Inn for a barricaded subject. Police were originally dispatched to a “shots fired” call, which came in at 7 :31 p.m., police said.
The area is closed to through-traffic at John E. Devine Dr. at South Willow and March Ave.
Capt. Brian O’Keefe at 9 p.m. said one person was transported to an area hospital, and
additional shots were fired about 45 minutes after the initial call. The public is asked to stay clear of the area.
This is an ongoing investigation, and there are multiple street closures in the area.
No further information was immediately available. We’ll continue to update this post as soon as we have more to report.
