Police chief: Search over for N.H. shooting suspect, city safe

MANCHESTER, N.H. — The search is over for an armed suspect wanted in the shooting of two New Hampshire police officers, authorities said Friday, stopping short of saying whether the suspect was in custody or being questioned.

Manchester Police Chief Nick Willard said the city was safe, but declined to give further details “to protect the integrity of the investigation.”

Willard said the officers were shot at separate locations in the same neighborhood after 2 a.m. and taken to hospitals. One officer has been released, and the other is in stable condition and was being moved to a Boston hospital, he said. The officers were not identified, and no further information on their injuries was available.

“I would think the city is in a much safer place than it was at 2 a.m.,” Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas said.

Authorities did not immediately release details of the shootings.

Several streets were blocked off and some schools were closed following the shooting. Helicopters were seen overhead, including one from the Massachusetts State Police. The police command post eventually was taken down and a “shelter in place” order for some residents was lifted before noon.

A police spokesman said officers remained “to continue processing the various scenes.” He referred questions to the attorney general’s office, which didn’t return a call seeking comment.

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.

The suspected shooter was described by officials as a white man with long hair who is wearing a trench coat.