TheLittleTwentieth – Renowned Papers Edition, AI Infused

Local sources from United States: CNN, NBC10 Boston.
UK coverage: The Telegraph.

On Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, tragedy struck in Concord, New Hampshire when a gunman opened fire in the lobby of the New Hampshire Hospital. The gunman was shot dead by a state trooper assigned to the facility, and a Department of Safety security officer was killed in the line of duty. The security officer, 63-year-old Bradley Haas, was a former police chief in the small nearby city of Franklin. He had served in his hometown department for 28 years, beginning as a patrol officer after serving three years as a military police officer in the U.S. Army.

The incident happened at the New Hampshire Hospital in Concord around 3:30 p.m., according to the New Hampshire State Police. All patients at the hospital were safe, said state police director Col. Mark Hall. Haas was shot while working in the front lobby entrance of the facility, the New Hampshire attorney general’s office said in a news release.

The head of New Hampshire’s Department of Health and Human Services, Commissioner Lori Weaver, said Friday evening she was “shocked and saddened” by the shooting. “Our hearts go out to the family of the victim as well as our colleagues who have been impacted,” Weaver said at a news conference.

Investigators are not releasing the shooter’s name as the investigation continues. Autopsies are scheduled for Saturday in Concord, and an update on the investigation will also be held at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Gov. Chris Sununu released a brief statement as the situation was developing Friday: “This afternoon, there was an incident at New Hampshire Hospital, which has been contained. While the scene remains active as the campus is cleared, the suspect is deceased. The state immediately mobilized, and first responders and law enforcement are on the scene. We will provide as many details as possible as this situation unfolds.”

Later Friday, he extended his condolences to the family of Haas, saying the security officer “gave his life today protecting the patients and staff at New Hampshire Hospital.”

Aerial footage from the scene showed a massive law enforcement response, and a bomb squad was still investigating a suspicious vehicle outside the hospital about three hours after police received a call about an active shooter. The attorney general’s office said around 9:20 p.m. that investigators had cleared the suspicious box truck near the scene, adding that it was determined the truck poses no safety risk.

The New Hampshire Hospital is a state-run acute psychiatric hospital. According to its website, the hospital offers inpatient psychiatric care. There were about 150 beds occupied at the facility on Friday, according to state data.

Weaver said that a call center was being established for families who want to reach out to loved ones receiving care there after the “difficult and unimaginable day,” and that support was being made available for both patients and staff.

Members of the state’s congressional delegation also released statements of support. U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster said on social media, “My heart is with the family and loved ones of NH Department of Safety security officer Bradley Haas. From his 28 years in the Franklin Police Department, including as chief, to his time as a U.S. Army police officer, we are eternally grateful for his lifetime of public service.”

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and more information is expected to be released Saturday morning. Our thoughts are with the family of Bradley Haas and all those affected by this tragedy.