Police chief: Man arrested in connection with 2 officers shot in New Hampshire
A 32-year-old New Hampshire man has been charged with attempted capital murder after he allegedly shot two New Hampshire police officers early Friday morning, according to authorities.
Ian MacPherson, 32.
Ian MacPherson, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was arrested on two counts of attempted capital murder, according to a statement from New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster and Manchester Police Chief Nick Willard.
According to the statement, Officer Ryan Hardy saw a man fitting the description of a suspect from a prior Shell gas station robbery, and approached him near Ferry Street just after 2 a.m. Friday, according to authorities. Shortly after radioing dispatch about the stop, Hardy radioed that he had been shot in the face and torso.
A half hour later, Officer Matthew O’Connor and members of the New Hampshire state police saw a man matching the description of the suspected shooter—a white man with long hair who is wearing a trench coat—near Putnam Street. When O’Connor requested that the suspect place his hands up, he opened fire at O’Connor, shooting him in the leg, authorities said.
Police said the suspect then fled into a wooded area as police returned fire.
Hardy is in stable condition at a Boston hospital. O’Connor was treated at a local hospital and released.
A shelter in place order had been in effect from 5:30 a.m. to about noon as law enforcement officers swept the area looking for the armed suspect.
During the earlier conference, Willard thanked New Hampshire police and Massachusetts state police, who provided a helicopter to aid in the manhunt. Willard said the helicopter was vital in helping to secure the area and develop the information needed to determine the city was safe.
“I am thankful for the bravery and service of these two Manchester police officers who courageously put their lives on the line early this morning, as all of our public safety officers do every day, to protect their fellows citizens and to keep our communities and our state safe,” New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan said in a statement. “I have spoken with them both and am grateful that they are expected to recover. My thoughts are with them and their families, and I join all Granite Staters in wishing them a speedy and full recovery.”
Several streets were blocked off and police were seen walking around later Friday morning, but they did not appear to be going door-to-door. A command post was taken down and a shelter in place order for some residents was lifted in late morning. Helicopters in the area were no longer present. It was not immediately known why the officials took the actions.
Floyd Johnson lives near one of the shooting sites on Manchester’s west side, a mix of older homes converted into apartments and small businesses. He said he awoke to the sound of multiple gunshots at about 2:15 a.m. Seconds later, “all the police swarmed in,” Johnson said.
He said he told his 13-year-old son to get on the floor. Police also told Johnson to stay put, away from the windows.
Johnson said he has lived on the west side all his life, and he has never seen anything like this before.
A number of schools in the area were closed Friday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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