Security officer killed in shooting at state hospital in Concord, NH – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

CONCORD, N.H. (WHDH) – A security officer and former police chief was shot and killed Friday when a suspect opened fire in the lobby area of a psychiatric hospital in Concord, New Hampshire, officials said. 

The shooting happened at New Hampshire Hospital and ended when a state police trooper fatally shot the suspect, according to New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark Hall.

In an update near 6:30 p.m., Hall said dispatchers received an initial call at 3:38 p.m. reporting an active shooter at the hospital. 

“Upon entering the lobby, the suspect shot one individual,” Hall said.

Hall said the state police trooper who ultimately shot the suspect was already at the hospital and “immediately engaged” the suspect.

The entire incident was contained in the hospital lobby, according to Hall. While the shooting victim was given CPR and taken to nearby Concord Hospital, Hall said he was later pronounced dead. 

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s office identified the victim as Bradley Haas, 63, of Franklin, New Hampshire. A former chief of police in Franklin, Haas was working as a New Hampshire Department of Safety security officer when he was killed, the Attorney General’s office said. 

Haas was a father and a law enforcement veteran, according to the Attorney General’s office, serving a total of 28 years with the Franklin Police Department in various roles after spending three years working as a military police officer in the Army.

Shooting prompts large law enforcement response

As crews swarmed the scene earlier Friday afternoon, New Hampshire Homeland Security and Emergency Management provided a series of updates. 

Around 5:30 p.m., officials said all patients at New Hampshire Hospital were safe. 

“There is no active threat to the public,” Homeland Security and Emergency Management said. 

Officials said the scene remained active though and asked community members to avoid the area as authorities investigated a suspicious vehicle.

SKY7-HD flying overhead spotted numerous emergency vehicles and personnel at work, with law enforcement units from the New Hampshire State Police, the Concord Police Department, the Concord Fire Department, Concord EMS, the State Office Complex Police and the Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office all among those joining the response.

Police blocked some area roads and authorities were seen operating armored vehicles. Some roads reopened later Friday night.

Near 5:45 p.m., a law enforcement robot could be seen moving around a U-Haul box truck parked on the hospital campus. The truck appeared to be taped off with yellow caution tape. 

Hall did not confirm whether the U-Haul was the suspicious vehicle mentioned in previous statements. The New Hampshire Attorney General’s office though said police ultimately searched and cleared a suspicious box truck, determining it posed no safety risk.

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WATCH: Officials provide update after shooting at New Hampshire Hospital

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Hospital closed to visitors, will remain open for patients

New Hampshire Hospital is located off Clinton Street in Concord. New Hampshire’s Department of Health and Human Services on its website describes the facility as the state’s “premier, acute psychiatric hospital.”

The hospital sits on a larger 120-acre campus and is typically tightly locked-down. Multiple state agencies also have facilities on the campus.

New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Weaver spoke with reporters Friday night, saying officials were “shocked and saddened” by this incident. 

“Our hearts go out to the family of the victim as well as our colleagues who have been impacted,” she said.

Though New Hampshire Hospital will be closed to visitors for the time being, Weaver said the hospital will remain open to serve patients.

She continued, saying the hospital will have teams providing support to patients and staff “as long as needed as we work through the tragedy together.”

“This is a difficult and unimaginable day for our employees and for our community,” Weaver said. “We will continue to make resources available in the coming hours and days.”

Governor, senators react to shooting

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu shared a statement moments before 5 p.m. regarding the shooting at New Hampshire Hospital. Sununu confirmed the suspect was dead but said the scene remained active “as the campus is cleared.”

“The state immediately mobilized, and first responders and law enforcement are on the scene,” Sununu said. “We will provide as many details as possible as this situation unfolds.”

New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen reacted on Facebook, saying she was “horrified by reports of a shooting at NH Hospital in Concord.”

“My heart goes out to all those impacted by this senseless violence,” she said. “I’m closely monitoring the situation.”

Sen. Maggie Hassan thanked law enforcement personnel and said she was “praying for those impacted by the shooting.” 

Hassan said she was also monitoring the situation. 

“Heartbroken to hear that a victim of the shooting at New Hampshire Hospital has died,” Hassan said in a subsequent statement Friday night. “My thoughts are with their family.”

‘It’s awful. It’s horrific’

Close to New Hampshire Hospital, area residents described terrifying moments as law enforcement converged on their neighborhood. 

One man said he was on his back deck when he heard “a bunch of sirens.”

“The dog was singing to the sirens,” the man told 7NEWS. “[We] really had no idea what it was all about until we started getting texts from neighbors and people involved.” 

“Glad it’s over and hope it never happens again,” the same man said. “But, you know, we can all hope for the best.”

With police lights still lighting up the area, some residents remained anxious for details in what was another very public case of deadly violence.

“It’s awful, it’s horrific,” said Jack Connolly, a concerned neighbor. “Gun violence has been a problem for a long time in this country and we keep having incidents like this and it’s heartbreaking.”

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s office around 9:30 p.m. said the investigation into this incident was ongoing and said officials would not be releasing the identity of the alleged shooter for the time being. 

In the meantime, the Attorney General’s office said the state Department of Health and Human Services had set up a call center for family members of New Hampshire Hospital patients and staff looking for information about their loved ones. The call center is available at (603) 271-3004 and will remain open until further notice.

Authorities are expected to provide an update on their investigation at 10 a.m. Saturday.

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