Prosecutor: Man on bail went to gun shop, handled rifle while gang member friend sought ammo

Sign Up For Our FREE Daily eNews!

Screen shot 2014 08 18 at 4.46.49 PM
Hillsborough County Superior Court North.

MANCHESTER, NH – A prosecutor wants bail revoked for a man charged in connection to a shooting that wounded three men last month outside Seven Days Market after he was with two Nine Trey Gangster members while handling a rifle inside a Hooksett gun shop over the weekend, according to a prosecutor.

Tariq Alston, 19, of 194 Bell St., was arrested over the weekend for violating bail conditions on charges of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and falsifying physical evidence for allegedly hiding a gun between a mattress and frame of a bed when he fled from police on May 3.  The reckless conduct charge is in connection with the April 7, 2021, shooting outside Seven Days Market, 360 Union St., where three people were shot.

Judge N. William Delker, who presided at Tuesday’s hearing in Hillsborough County Superior Court Northern District, had released Alston on personal recognizance bail with restrictions.  Those included not possessing any firearm or ammunition and to have no contact with Milton Nabors, one of the two gang members he was with inside Shooters Outpost.

According to the state’s motion to revoke his bail, filed by Assistant Hillsborough County Attorney Elena Brander, on May 14, 2021, Alston was recorded on video inside Shooter’s Outpost with Nine Trey Gangsters members Emmanuel Sayle and Nabors.

The Nine Trey Gangster Bloods or Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods (NTG) are a violent gang tied to the United Blood Nation street gang which connects to the LA Bloods.  It was formed in 1993 at the Rikers Island correctional facility in New York City.  It is known for selling drugs.

unnamed 78
Tariq Alston appeared via video in court on May 25, 2021.

At an evidentiary hearing Tuesday afternoon, Detective Robert Matzelle testified that on the video Alton appears to ask a clerk to see a rifle.  The clerk hands it to him and, after handling it for a while, he gives it back.

At the cash register, Matzelle said Nabors attempted to buy six boxes of 9 mm ammunition, two boxes for himself and two boxes for each of his friends.  Sayle is recorded handing Nabors money. Nabors was told there was an ammunition shortage and sales were limited to two boxes per person so he told the clerk he was buying two boxes each for his friends.  

Matzelle said, from the body language, it appeared Nabors and the clerk argued and the sale is rejected. At one point, a clerk told police she heard one of the three men say it was a case of racism that they couldn’t buy the ammunition.  The three then left the store without buying anything.

Alston3
Mug shot of Tariq Alston. MPD

Nabors returned to the store three days later trying to again buy ammunition, the detective said.  Again, the sale was rejected.

Police learned of the incident when a Shooter’s Outpost employee called them. A clerk recognized Alston who, at the time, had distinctive red dreadlocks (a gift he received for his 19th birthday, according to Public Defender Devon Ayer).  His mugshot with the red dreadlocks was published at the time of his arrest in the Manchester shooting incident. He has since dyed his hair black.  

Ayer contended he did that because of the nasty remarks posted about him on Facebook.  The judge, however, said he was skeptical since Alston didn’t change his hair color until after the clerk recognized him by his red dreadlocks.

Prosecutor Brander attempted to elicit information from Matzelle concerning Nabors, Sayle and Alston being gang members.  He said police had yet to validate that Alston was a gang member. However, she noted that in police reports Sayle, Nabors and Alston are described as “known gang members.”  

Ayer objected to the information being entered into testimony saying it was irrelevant if Matzelle and Sayle were gang members.  She said she wouldn’t object to police saying her client is not a validated gang member.

She said his being labeled one is unfair.  She said Alston is quiet, patient, respectful and is just shy of obtaining enough credits to graduate high school.  At Central High School, he was a member of the football team, she said.  She also said he has a good case for a self-defense claim.

“He’s a good person,” she said. “I think you should give him another opportunity.”

Ayer also was upset that a dozen police officers showed up Sunday at Alston’s home, where he lives with his mother, her significant other and a younger brother, to arrest him.  She had been in contact with police about his impending arrest and the prospect of Alston surrendering to them.  The arrest warrant was signed by Delker but had yet to be entered into the computer system by the court clerk.

Until that process is complete, an arrest warrant is not to be served.

Brander told the judge she is uncertain how it ended up with police.  She said a clerk assured her that the warrant would be entered into the system and forwarded to various parties, such as the county attorney’s office, the sheriff’s department and police. Brander said the clerk gave her a copy for the office but she did not forward it to police who obtained one.

Delker said that shouldn’t have happened and that he will be looking into how it occurred.  

As for granting Alston bail, Delker said he already allowed him out on bail twice.  Delker said he specifically added the condition that Alston not have any contact with Nabors, a condition prosecutors didn’t request.

“This isn’t about a stupid decision,” he said. “This is about a dangerous decision.  I have no confidence he is going to abide by bail conditions.” He also said he found it “highly suspicious” that Alston changed his hair color after the clerk recognized him.  

Ayer pleaded with the judge to give him another chance.  She said if he is sent to the Valley Street jail he will be changed forever.

He agreed with Ayer that “Valley Street is not a great place to be for someone his age.  So I am going to think about this.”

Delker took the issue under advisement and will rule at a later date.

About this Author

Nathan Graziano

Nathan Graziano lives in Manchester with his wife and kids. He's the author of nine collections of fiction and poetry. His most recent book, Born on Good Friday was published by Roadside Press in 2023. He's a high school teacher and freelance writer, and in his free time, he writes bios about himself in the third person. For more information, visit his website: http://www.nathangraziano.com