Crime & Safety

Shooting Suspect Still On the Loose

A person was shot in the neck outside Shaw's on Thursday night.

No arrest so far in the Thursday night shooting outside a busy Shaw's plaza on Main Street. Extra police patrols were in place throughout the night, and residents were cautioned by police to lock their doors and windows and be on guard, as the gunman remained at large.

He has been described only as a heavy-set black male wearing a white T-shirt. Police have not said if they know the suspect's identity.

At about 6:30 p.m. police responded to a flurry of 911 calls from the shopping center at 300 Main St. for a report of a shooting. Upon arrival they found a 26-year-old man on the ground outside Shaw's, bleeding from a gunshot wound to the neck.

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That man, whose name was not released by police, was air-lifted to Mass General hospital where this morning he was listed in stable condition, according to police.

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Manchester photojounalist Jeff Hastings (frameofmindphoto.com), who was at the scene speaking to witnesses, provided this information to Nashua Patch at about 8:30 p.m.:

"According to witnesses a family was sitting at the picnic table outside the Shaw's in Nashua at 300 Main St. when a grey car pulled up (see photos) a black male exited the car and shot a man at the picnic table at close range in the head / neck.
The suspect ran in to the woods. NPD have the area secured using dogs and are about to launch a helicopter."

Nashua's SWAT team and state police troopers from New Hampshire and Massachusetts, along with Hillsborough County Sherrif's Department were brought in swiftly to set up a perimeter and search the woods behind the shopping plaza for about five hours.

Sometime around 9:30 p.m Shaw's employees still inside the market notified police that they heard what sounded like footsteps on the roof. A sweep of the roof with a helicopter spotlight turned up nothing.

As police continued to search the area, the only information available was coming from police scanner frequencies. At one point, officers were discussing locating a bread truck driver who was at the store making a delivery at the time of the shooting. The wanted to show him “photos of the suspect.”

"Call the bread company and see if they can identify who was delivering bread at the time of the shooting," said one officer over the scanner.

Nashua Police Capt. George McCarthy urged residents to remain in their homes via a news conference at about 9:30 p.m., saying the suspect is “considered armed and dangerous.”

Two hours later police were still scouring the woods and following leads and news tips from residents. An additional helicopter pass over the area was called for at about 11:30 p.m., shortly before Nashua Deputy Chief Scott Howe reiterated the warning to residents, to stay home and lock up, adding that they should report to police anyone who appears to be out of place in their neighborhood.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact Nashua Police at 603-594-3543 or via CrimeLine, 603-589-1665.


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