NH Hospital ‘Active Shooter’ Incident Under Investigation In Concord: State Police

CONCORD, NH — At least one person is dead following an active shooter incident at the New Hampshire Hospital on Friday.

Concord police and fire and rescue teams were called to the state hospital grounds after dispatch received reports of a shooting a little after 3:30 p.m. Police, after arriving, reported an officer down and the shooter on the first floor of the facility.

About 15 minutes later, police confirmed the shooter was down. At around 4 p.m., police confirmed the suspect was handcuffed and in custody. He died later. Police, state officials, emergency management, firefighters, and others set up a command post at Concord District Court. The court was also evacuated.

At just past 4 p.m., New Hampshire State Police reported on Twitter-X that there were “multiple victims.”

State police have not identified the shooter due to it being an open investigation.

The shooter killed Bradley Haas, 63, of Franklin, a security officer with state police who was working security in the front lobby of the hospital.

In a statement Friday night, Michael Garrity, the public information officer for the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office, said Haas was the former police chief in Franklin. He worked for the department for 28 years. He was also a veteran, having served in the U.S. Army.

Haas' family has requested privacy at this time, he said.

Officers spent hours searching the facility, floor by floor, looking for other potential suspects and assisting in evacuating the building. They later confirmed there were no other shooters in the building and the incident was contained to the lobby. Officers, attempting to access other rooms in the hospital, reported issues due to not having proper codes, according to scanner chatter. Police, at one point, also stated patients were being kept in their units until the building could be secured.

Dozens of employees were seen exiting the building — some clearly shaken up but appearing to be in good spirits. At another section of the Hugh Gallen State Office Complex, employees were questioned about the incident.

Investigators also mentioned a possible suspect vehicle on the compound that was being investigated. Garrity said state police had investigated a box truck near the scene at determined it posed no safety risk.

At just before 5 p.m., Gov. Chris Sununu released a statement saying the suspect was dead.

“This afternoon, there was an incident at New Hampshire Hospital, which has been contained,” he said. “While the scene remains active as the campus is cleared, the suspect is deceased. The state immediately mobilized, and first responders and law enforcement are on the scene. We will provide as many details as possible as this situation unfolds.”

New Hampshire State Police Director Mark Hall gave a short statement around 5:30 p.m. stating the incident occurred and was contained in the hospital's front lobby. He said patients were safe and there was no threat to the public. Hall also requested people stay out of the area so investigators could complete their work.

Hall did not take any questions and did not mention the condition of a second shooting victim inside the building, something mentioned by other police officers at the scene.

During a second update, Hall confirmed there was a second death during the shooting. That person was taken to Concord Hospital, where they were pronounced dead later.

According to scanner chatter, police were still in the building as late at 6:30 p.m., accessing areas, including the kitchen.

Capital Media posted videos on Facebook.

Garrity said autopsies would be held on Saturday. He said the name of the state trooper was being held pending a formal interview.

For family members of New Hampshire Hospital patients and staff looking for information about their loved ones, the Department of Health and Human Services has established a call center, Garrity said. The phone number is 603-271-3004. The call center will remain open until further notice.

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.