Concord Police Investigate Gun Incidents Reported On Branch Turnpike

CONCORD, NH — Concord police spent Sunday investigating a domestic incident, a person who fled the scene with a gun and, later, a rifle thrown into the yard of a family member, but the public was not in any danger.

Just before 11 a.m., police were sent to the Branch Turnpike and Allard Street area for a report of a domestic disturbance. A person stated another person was armed and leaving their home. Police and dispatch were familiar with the address in question due to previous calls. The person was still at the home and was armed, standing in the driveway, dispatch said, but left the area later.

Officers spoke to a member of the household and began searching for the armed person who had left the scene in a van. Police knew them to be a veteran.

One officer reported staying at the home and working “to see if there was a crime here” while others attempted to find the van.

Later, an officer found the van and approached it. The officer reported a few seconds later, “Shots fired.” The officer told dispatch the person took their own life and the shot fired did not involve him. Concord fire and rescue teams were requested to the area and confirmed the person was dead.

Officers were at the home for several hours investigating with yellow tape surrounding the home. They cleared later.

At around 3:15 p.m., dispatch sent officers back to the area for a report of a person approaching a neighbor, who was also a family member, and giving them a rifle that was in their home.

Dispatch said they were accused of “pointing the rifle case, over the fence, at him.” Later, dispatch told officers heading to the area they threw the rifle over the fence to their family member, telling them the rifle was now theirs.

Several officers arrived and one confirmed the gun was inside of a case. The officer removed the rifle from the yard and brought it to the other home. Police spoke to the person and they told them there was a note on the rifle case, according to scanner chatter. An officer checked the rifle, a Remington 12-gauge, and found no issues with it.

After speaking with all the parties, the police cleared, with one officer saying, “It was a misunderstanding here … no crime.”

A free, 24/7, confidential service can provide people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress or those around them with support, information, and local resources. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Have you got a news tip? Please send it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube.com channel or Rumble.com channel. Check out the #FITN2024 NH Patch post channel and follow our politics Twitter account @NHPatchPolitics for all our campaign coverage.