MANCHESTER, NH — A man from Manchester was arrested on Wednesday after a domestic violence incident, while a Queen City police officer has been placed on leave after the arrest.
Around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, police were sent to Bruce Road for a report of a domestic violence incident between two men who were related. When officers arrived, Gary Miller, 57, of Manchester, “emerged from the front door and, without provocation, attacked the responding officer,” according to a statement emailed by Capt. John Cunningham of the department’s patrol division on Wednesday night.
“During the altercation,” the report said, “Mr. Miller was combative even while in handcuffs and required the additional use of leg restraints and a spit hood.”
Miller was charged with second-degree assault, resisting arrest, and simple assault, accused of strangling his elderly father.
Video of the arrest was posted on Facebook by a woman with the moniker “Princess Sayurii” on Wednesday. The video appears to have been taken down since that time. The video, however, was shared by others (it is linked here).
In the video, Manchester Police Officer Justin Ketcham is seen placing Miller in handcuffs and then appears to stomp on his back while Miller is down on the ground. After stomping on his back, Miller struggled. Ketcham then kneels down on the suspect, attempting to pin him to the ground, while Miller screams, struggles, and demands to be let go.
Another officer arrives to assist, and that officer begins punching Miller in the leg while attempting to place him in more cuffs, saying, “Stop grabbing.” Ketcham then yells, “Stop f---ing fighting. Stop.”
On Thursday, Heather Hamel, the public information officer for the department, issued a follow-up statement, saying Ketcham was on administrative leave. She noted the incident was “partially captured on cellphone video and later, shared on social media.” The video, she added, “raised concerns,” and the PIU would be investigating.
“As that review takes place,” she said, “Officer Justin Ketcham will remain on leave… Because the incident remains under review, no further information is being released at this time.”
According to the Manchester Police Department’s Facebook page, Ketcham was hired by the department in December 2022. According to a post by the Moultonborough Police Department’s Instagram page, he graduated from the 186th New Hampshire Police Academy in December 2021.
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