MANCHESTER, NH — On Monday October 22, 2018, at approximately 3:19 p.m., police received a 911 call from the Gossler Park Elementary School, 145 Parkside Ave. The caller indicated that there was someone outside the school shooting what appeared to be a BB/pellet gun at the school before hanging up. While Officers were enroute, the Police Department received a second 911 call from the school indicating that someone is shooting at students and that it was coming from the wood line that borders the school, and that a teacher was struck.
At the time of the incident the only children in the school, were the afterschool program students, and the basketball team. The children and a volunteer from the after school program were outside at the rear of the building when they all heard what sounded like several quick gun shots. It was later learned that a volunteer for the after school program was shot with a projectile that appears to be consistent with a pellet gun. There were no other reported injured parties, including children playing outside at the time of the incident.
The students were moved to the gym, and Gossler School as well as Parkside was placed into a secure campus. Upon the arrival of the Manchester Police Department, a perimeter was set up and a K-9 track was initiated, in addition to Gossler School being cleared by police personnel for any other threat.
At the conclusion of the incident and when it was deemed safe, the schools were taken out of the secure campus mode. Parents were allowed to then start picking their children up. Once the parents arrived, the children were allowed to be released to their parents once verified by school staff. The remaining children on scene were the students that are walkers and usually leave at 5 p.m. These children were dismissed at the discretion of the school.
The investigation is ongoing and no further information is available at this time. Anyone with information related to the incident is encouraged to contact the Manchester Police Department at 603-668-8711, or leave an anonymous tip via ManchesterCrimeLine.org
