Franklin Standoff Leads To Officer-Involved Shooting, 2-Alarm Fire

CONCORD, NH — New Hampshire State Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting and house fire in Franklin that started on Sunday night and ended Monday morning.

According to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, Franklin police were sent to an apartment building at 27 W. Bow St. for a report of a disturbance around 10 p.m. on Sunday. A tenant reported a neighbor attempted to smash through her front door. When officers arrived, they found the door to the apartment had been shot at with a firearm. The building was evacuated while police attempted to contact the man.

“Officers heard gunshots coming from inside the male’s residence and an armed standoff ensued, during which members of the New Hampshire State Police SWAT Unit responded to assist,” Michael Garrity, the director of communications for the AG’s Office, said.

The state police SWAT team was requested and a shelter-in-place order was issued for residents of Central Street and West Bow Street due to a report of “an active shooter,” according to a tenant in the building. A man barricaded himself inside the home, according to officials, and an officer shot him during the standoff.

At around 1:30 a.m., Franklin police and firefighters who were staging at the scene confirmed seeing smoke bellowing from the apartment building. The fire commander called for a first alarm and requested an investigator from the New Hampshire Fire Marshal’s Office to the scene. Lakes Region Dispatch requested firefighters from Belmont, Tilton-Northfield and Sanbornton, and the Penacook Rescue team, to the scene and city for mutual aid.

About 15 minutes later, the commander reported to dispatch heavy smoke was coming from the building and they were having difficulty accessing the structure. They requested a second alarm. Firefighters from Andover, Boscawen, Bristol, Concord, Gilford, Laconia, and New Hampton were requested to assist.

Around 3 a.m., officers saw fire inside of the apartment building and a man “exchanging multiple gunshots with troopers,” Garrity said. The male stopped firing and was located just outside the residence near a rear first-floor window after suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.

“Life-saving measures were attempted, but the resident was shot and has died,” Garrity said. “No law enforcement officers have been physically injured and there is no threat to the public.”

Garrity said two state troopers discharged firearms during the incident.

An autopsy will be performed on Monday. The man’s identity was not released due to next of kin notification.

At post time, it is unknown how the four-unit apartment building caught on fire or the connection of the fire to the standoff. Officials are investigating the cause of the fire and the timeline of the incident. New Hampshire State Police and others are still at the scene investigating.

Capital Media posted a video of the firefighting on Facebook.

Capital Media posted a second video on Facebook.

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