Neighbor Accused Of Shooting At Woman Near New Nashua Homeless Camp

NASHUA, NH — A Nashua homeless woman was allegedly shot at by a resident near the recently designated area for homeless encampments.

Police responded to the Crown and Chase Streets area Wednesday at about 7:45 p.m. for a report of a woman screaming for people to call the police. Police contacted a man who had recently moved to the new encampment area, standing outside his tent at the old park and ride. The man told police he was near his tent when he heard the woman yelling for help after hearing the sound of multiple gunshots.

Officers contacted six other people in the area of the tents who also verified they had heard gunshots, according to court paperwork.

A Nashua police K-9 officer with his partner searched the area and located three shell casings in a dirt area near the railroad tracks.

Police spoke to a woman who had been walking to a local convenience store and had spoken to the victim at the end of the railroad tracks. As she was speaking to the victim, a heavyset white man in a white T-shirt approached, yelling for the victim to get off the property. The witness left the area as an argument began between the man and the woman. When out of view, she heard three or four loud noises she described as possible fireworks.

Police made contact with the victim and she said ever since she moved to the new area at 25 Crown St., neighbors had been harassing her and others in the newly formed tent area.

Allegedly the man argued and told the victim to get off his “f------ property.” The victim explained it wasn’t his property. The man’s girlfriend tried to calm him down, but the situation escalated. The male, according to court paperwork, said “Get the f--- out of here you f------ junkie.”

As the victim was walking back towards her tent, she heard gunfire, which she could tell was coming close to her vicinity. The man, according to police, yelled something to the effect “How do you like that?” as the victim was running from the area to her tent area.

Investigators determined that the suspect, John Smith Jr., 31, lived on Chase Street. Police attempted to reach the suspect on the phone but were unsuccessful. Officers positioned the Bearcat near the apartment and made announcements over the loudspeaker, asking or the suspect to come out. He was taken into custody and brought to the Nashua Police Department for an interview.

After the interview, Nashua police detective charged Smith with reckless conduct with a deadly weapon.

Police applied for a search warrant for the Chase Street apartment. They found a black 9 mm Ruger SRC9 on a nightstand during the search, a report said. Detectives also seized hard drives connected to the cameras on the building, according to documents.

Smith was also charged with criminal threatening with a deadly weapon and falsifying physical evidence.

Smith is being held on preventative detention at the Hillsborough County House of Corrections.

If anyone has any further information regarding this case, please call the Nashua Police Department Crime Line at 603-589-1665. Please follow the Nashua Police Department on Twitter @Nashuapolice.