NH Man Arrested on Attempted Murder Charges

MANCHESTER, NH - A local man was arrested earlier today on attempted murder charges after allegedly shooting two police officers in the Queen City this morning.

Ian MacPherson, 32, of Dionne Drive in Manchester, was arrested on May 13, 2016, on two counts of attempted capital murder.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. It does not indicate a conviction. Click this link, which explains New Hampshire Patch's police log name removal policy.

According to a statement, at just after 2 a.m., an officer saw a man walking on Second Street near Ferry Street on the city's West Side matching the description of a person who robbed a gas station on Eddy Road in Manchester yesterday. The officer – Ryan Hardy – radioed dispatch that he was making a stop and during the process, was shot, according to the press statement.

“(Hardy) also relayed that the white male with long hair and a trench coat was headed south on Second Street,” according to Jane Young of the NH AG’s Office. “Hardy suffered gunshot wounds to the face and torso. He is in stable condition at a Boston hospital.”

New Hampshire State Police were called in to assist and Mass. State Police also lent its helicopter in order to track the suspect down, according to Manchester Police Chief Enoch Willard.

About 30 minutes later, another officer – Matthew O’Connor – as well as members of the New Hampshire State Police, saw a man matching the suspect’s description on Rimmon Street near Putnam. O’Connor reportedly requested that the suspect put his hands up but the man allegedly began to fire at O’Connor, striking him in the leg. Police returned fire and the man fled into the woods, according to Young.

O’Connor was treated and released earlier today.

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At around 5 a.m., on Bartlett Street, police saw a man with long hair, a beard, and a trench coat, and took him in to custody.

The man – MacPherson – was taken in to custody for resisting detention. He was later charged with attempted capital murder and is being held. MacPherson will be arraigned on May 16.

According to his online profile, MacPherson is a Merrimack High School graduate and employed as a cleaner at Waste Management. He was arrested in January 2012 on four counts of simple assault in Merrimack, according to a post on Patch.

Willard requested media outlets give the officers and their families privacy and time to heal from the wounds.

Hardy, according to Derry Police Chief Edward Garone, worked in that department between 2012 and 2015 before joining the Manchester force.

"In his capacity as a Derry police officer, Hardy served the town proudly and well," he noted. "He was highly regarded by his peers, supervisors and all members of the Derry Police Department. He is in our thoughts and prayers and we wish him a swift recovery."