Homeless Man, ID’d As New Hampshire Hospital Shooter, Was A Patient

CONCORD, NH — The killer of a security guard at New Hampshire’s psychiatric hospital has officially been identified and was a patient at the hospital.

John Madore, 33, was a homeless man who lived in hotels both in Downtown Concord and on the Seacoast, according to officials. Attorney General John Formella said Saturday, while investigators had worked through the night on the case, they were still gathering evidence from the incident. They are shifting, he said, to a homicide investigation.

Autopsies are expected later on Saturday.

Formella praised former Franklin Police Chief Bradley Haas, the guard Madore killed in the lobby of the state hospital on Friday, thanking him for his police and military service.

“I offer my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of security officer and former Franklin Police Chief Bradley Haas,” he said. “He proudly spent decades serving and protecting his hometown and his state.”

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Haas was not armed. He had been employed in the position since 2019.

Formella also praised the state trooper, who was not yet on duty at the time of the incident but rushed to the scene.

“The actions of this trooper saved a lot of lives and this trooper’s actions were heroic,” Formella said.

State officials are withholding the trooper’s name until a review and interview have been completed.

Formella thanked Concord police and firefighters, the Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office, the state complex police, the FBI, and the ATF.

Mark Hall, the director of New Hampshire State Police, said Madore used a 9 mm to shoot Haas. He was also in possession of additional ammunition.

A U-Haul box truck, that had its engine running in the parking lot, was investigated. The bomb squad was also requested. The box truck was found not to be a threat. However, inside the truck, an AR-style rifle, a tactical vest, and several magazines of ammo were found, Hall said.

“The investigation into the shooting,” Hall said, “including any determination regarding the suspect’s motive, remains ongoing.”

The trooper was not injured during the incident, he said.

Formella was asked whether he thought Madore was going to commit a mass shooting. The attorney general said he could not “get into or release … we are still investigating … I don’t want to prejudge that.”

Formella also did not respond to how investigators connected the U-Haul to Madore or where, exactly, he was before the incident.

Madore did not get past the facility’s metal detectors, he said.

Beyond being homeless, living in hotels in Concord and the Seacoast, and possibly residing outside of New Hampshire, Formella said he could not get into specifics about Madore’s residency.

He would also not comment on whether Madore was a “lone wolf” shooter.

“We can’t rule things in or rule things out,” Formella said, adding officials did not believe there was a threat to the general public.

Madore Was A Patient At NHH

Madore, according to superior court records, was a patient at the hospital for an unknown length of time.

He was arrested in January 2016 on second-degree assault, simple assault, and reckless conduct charges, all felonies, in Strafford. He was arraigned on the charges in Strafford County Superior Court and offered $5,000 cash bail with conditions.

A letter from Strafford County Community Corrections was sent to the court in late January 2016.

However, in February 2016, a motion was made to determine Madore’s competency. It was sealed later. After about a month, the motion was granted. Madore violated his bail conditions and on March 3, 2016, a warrant was issued for his arrest.

In April 2016, a motion to vacate the charges was denied. Other documents were sealed in the case and another warrant was issued for Madore’s arrest in May 2016.

Strafford County Community Corrections performed an assessment review and Madore had a change in attorneys. His new bail was also set at $50,000 cash.

Two weeks later, his new attorney made a motion to lower bail and it was granted.

In July 2016, another competency evaluation was sealed.

In October 2016, the simple assault charge against Madore was “dismissed without prejudice,” according to court records, and about two months later, he was sent to the New Hampshire State Hospital.

A status conference and another hearing were held on Jan. 6, 2017, with information also sealed two days later.

More hearings were held in 2017 and another competency evaluation held and sealed in September 2017. In October 2017, while still in the state hospital, he appeared at a status conference in Stafford County Superior Court. On Oct. 18, 2017, the second-degree assault and reckless conduct charges were nolle prossed.

Court records indicated he was transported between the state hospital and the superior court to attend hearings.

Details about Madore’s time in the state hospital are not public records due to federal HIPAA laws, which protect the medical history of Americans even when they have died or killed people.

Other Reactions

During a Saturday news conference, Sununu praised Haas and the dedicated employees who responded swiftly during the incident.

“New Hampshire owes a debt of gratitude to them all,” Sununu said.

Lori Weaver, the commissioner of health and human services, thanked first responders and employees in the facility. She also praised other employees who assisted patients and workers providing food and services. Despite the horrific event, she called the team “extraordinary” for weathering the incident.

The department said in a press statement later that about 150 patients were housed at the Clinton Street facility.

New Hampshire Department of Safety Commissioner Robert L. Quinn extended “our sincerest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Security Officer Bradley Haas.” He called Haas “a dedicated member of the safety team who died a hero protecting the patients and staff of New Hampshire Hospital. Our hearts ache at this loss.” Quinn also praised the state trooper who acted quickly to confront Madore.

Former attorney general, U.S. Senator, and Republican gubernatorial candidate, Kelly Ayotte, said she and her husband were “heartbroken” at the killing of Haas who was “a selfless public servant” who had dedicated his life and career to protecting New Hampshire and the nation. She also offered prayers to his family and gratitude to police and first responders who put themselves in harm’s way to assist others.

“Today, and every day, we are thankful for their service and sacrifice,” Ayotte said.

Democratic Leader Donna Soucy and Assistant Democratic Leader Becky Whitley, who represents Concord in the Senate, also offered comment saying they were “devastated by the news of the shooting.” In a joint statement, they said, “Our hearts are with the victims and their families, and with the staff at the hospital as they process what occurred today. We are beyond grateful for the swift and coordinated action of our state and local law enforcement, fire, and EMS responders today, and for their work every day to keep our community safe and informed.”

The state Senators said they would be monitoring the situation.

“Concord is a strong and resilient city,” they said, “and we know that the people of New Hampshire will come together to support the community as they process this tragedy.”

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