Concord Police Make Arrest In Basin Street Shooting Case: Follow-Up

CONCORD, NH — Concord police have made an arrest after a shooting on Basin Street on July 22.

Shane Vannest, 33, of Basin Street in Concord, was arrested on Aug. 2 on reckless conduct-deadly weapon, detention and sanctions for default or breach of bail conditions, three counts of acts prohibited-possession, marijuana, methamphetamine, and buprenorphine, two counts of acts prohibited-intent to distribute, marijuana and meth, and two counts of convicted felons, pistol and metallic knuckles, all felonies, as well as a changing marks charge.

Around 2:30 p.m., police were sent to Basin Street for a report of a man accidentally shooting himself in the leg. A woman, also with a lengthy criminal history, reported the incident to police. Officers and a sergeant were sent to the apartment, and the woman told them, “You guys better get in there,” according to an affidavit.

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Vannest was found in an armchair with a gunshot wound to his leg, the report said. An officer applied a tourniquet and a fire and rescue team was requested to the scene. During prepping before taking him to the hospital, an officer accused Vannest of telling an EMT he did not intend to shoot himself.

Later, the woman assisted police in finding the gun, and a search warrant was requested for the home. The woman and officers went to the hospital, the detective noted. Vannest was questioned about the incident and claimed to have found the gun in the woods near his apartment, and then, he shot himself by accident, a report said.

The woman was also interviewed.

According to an affidavit, she said Vannest was working on a bicycle outside that day when later, he came into the house with the gun, saying he found it. She described Basin Street as near “sketchy” areas of the city. When Vannest sat down, she heard the gun go off, the report said. She grabbed a shirt and wrapped the wound, and then hid the gun, the affidavit said.

About five hours later, after a search warrant was approved, two detectives and a sergeant scoured the home and found “several items in plain view” including a surveillance camera, drug paraphernalia, cellphones, a blow torch, a glass smoking device, and other items.

One of the detectives returned to police headquarters and filed an addendum to the search warrant.

Police seized two .45 caliber bullets, a clip with six bullets, a .45 shell casing, a “large quantity” of marijuana — later determined to be seven and a half pounds, five bags of crystal shards of meth — later determined to be 21.7 grams, $1,700 in cash, eight buprenorphine packets, five pills believed to be heroin-fentanyl, small weights, vacuum seal bags, other baggies, a gun box, and brass knuckles with a switchblade, the report said.

Detectives also reviewed an SD card from the security camera, which revealed Vannest holding the gun in his hands, pointing it down at his leg, and, while speaking with the woman, shooting himself, an affidavit said.

“Ow!,” he was accused of yelling, while the woman said, “No, baby! Oh my God.”

Vannest was accused of replying, “Hold on, hold on, don’t call,” while the woman was screaming, “What do I do?” repeatedly. He also claimed his prior felony charges were “petty and stupid,” not violent, except for one domestic violence incident, the detective wrote. On the video, police accused Vannest of telling the woman he found the gun outside, the report said.

Detectives, at police headquarters later, investigated a black gun box from “Rock Island Armory,” for an Armscor Precision International .45 caliber pistol. They attempted to link the gun box to the gun, but the gun had an obliterated serial number, the report said.

A detective also noted, at the time of the shooting, Vannest was out on bail on an active felon in possession of a dangerous weapon-metallic knuckles and operating after suspension charges case from December 2022. He was indicted on the felony charge earlier this year.

A warrant was issued for his arrest on July 26.

Vannest was arraigned in Merrimack County Superior Court on Thursday on two counts of controlled drug act; acts prohibited and three felon in possession of a dangerous weapon charges, with $500 cash bail issued.

Vannest, according to superior court records, is a felon due to a criminal history dating back more than a decade.

In February 2012, he was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated, DUI, and acts prohibited; controlled drug act charges as well as a divided ways violation in Concord and pleaded guilty to the charges later that year. He pleaded guilty to violating his probation in September 2015. In March 2012, he was accused of possession-sale of narcotics, controlled drug act, driving while intoxicated, disobeying an officer, and driving after revocation or suspension in Northfield. He pleaded guilty to all the charges later that year.

Vannest was busted on more drug charges in Concord in December 2014 and pleaded guilty to three of the charges in September 2015.

In February 2015, he was arrested again in Concord on a controlled drug act charge, pleaded guilty to the charge later, and was accused of violating probation. That charge, however, in May 2018, was withdrawn later.

Concord police accused him of second-degree assault in March 2020 but a year later, the charge was nolle prossed. In February 2022, he was accused of felon in possession of a dangerous weapon and driving after revocation or suspension charges in Concord. Vannest was indicted on the weapon charge in February. He is due back in Merrimack County Superior Court for a dispositional conference for that case on Aug. 17.

Vannest has been arrested on other charges in Concord, including second-degree assault, criminal threatening, simple assault, domestic violence-simple assault, driving after revocation or suspension, theft, resisting arrest or detention, breach of bail, possession of alcohol on public property, and criminal mischief charges, according to reports on Patch.

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