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April 12, 2012

Official: 1 officer killed, 4 hurt in NH shooting

Associated Press

GREENLAND, N.H. (AP) — A man opened fire on police conducting a drug investigation as they entered a New Hampshire home Thursday night, killing one officer and injuring four others. At 11 p.m., a man remained holed up in the home with a woman, police said.

"We are working with federal state and local law enforcement to try to obtain a peaceful resolution," Attorney General Michael Delaney said late Thursday. "I do want to extend my thoughts and prayers to families and relatives and loved ones of the police officer that has been killed and the four police officers that have been injured."

The shooting devastated Greenland, a town of 3,500 near the seacoast that has just seven police officers including chief Michael Maloney.

John Penacho, chairman of the town's Board of Selectman, confirmed that Maloney was part of the investigation but would not say if he was among those shot. Maloney is due to retire in less than two weeks. The names of the officer killed and those injured were not immediately released because their relatives had not all been notified.

"It's a blow to all of us. You're stunned. It's New Hampshire, it's a small town," he said. "We're stunned. I mean all of us. It's an unbelievable situation."

Streets all around the home were blocked off and officers stood at roadblocks in the pouring rain.

State police and officers from many departments responded after the initial call around 6 p.m.

Delaney said he couldn't provide much other information about the shooting.

"We do have an active armed standoff at a home and we're simply not going to provide any information right now that may jeopardize that situation," he said.

Gov. John Lynch was at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, where the officers were taken.

"This is a tragic incident, and my thoughts and prayers are with the officers involved and their families," he said.

The tree-lined street, closed off by police, features single-family homes and duplexes. The shootings took place at 517 Post Road, a 2-bedroom, 1½ -story structure that's listed as owned by the Beverly Mutrie Revocable Trust, according to tax assessor records.

The Portsmouth Herald reported in February 2011 that Cullen Mutrie, 29, was a resident of the home on 517 Post Road and had been arrested and charged with possession of anabolic steroids.

The newspaper reported that the steroids were found in the home when officers went to confiscate guns after Mutrie was arrested on domestic assault charges. According to a police affidavit, the steroids were found in Mutrie's living room on July 24, 2010, but were not verified by the state crime lab until Jan. 18.

The town's schools will be closed Friday, because law enforcement officers are using the elementary school as a staging area.

Asked what the town will do to help residents cope with the tragedy, Penacho said "We'll do whatever we need to do."

Now split by I-95, the town is one of the oldest settlements in the state.

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