A man wanted for multiple car thefts was fatally shot by police in Rochester, New Hampshire, after a tense standoff that ended in a wooded area near Gooseberry Circle. The incident occurred yesterday with law enforcement officials identifying the deceased as 36-year-old Joseph Russell.
Officers had been on the pursuit of Russell, intercepting him on Route 16 after he was spotted driving in Rochester. According to NBC Boston, upon being cornered, Russell abandoned his vehicle, and fled into the Gooseberry Circle residential area, prompting a chase that would ultimately turn fatal. Police, said that upon confronting the suspect, he failed to comply with orders to surrender and attempted to escape, resulting in a state police K-9 bringing him down.
It was at this juncture that the situation escalated. "Officers say they noticed Russell pulling out a gun," per the authorities. In response, the officers on scene discharged their weapons, fatally wounding Russell. There were no additional injuries reported during the incident and officials have confirmed that there is no ongoing threat to the community.
The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office is handling the ongoing investigation into the shooting, assuring that thorough inquiries are made into the use of lethal force by the police. In a statement obtained by Boston 25 News, the AG's office disclosed that Russell was known to be armed and that no officers were physically harmed in the altercation. The incident, which transpired mere blocks away from city hall, has added to the string of police shootings that prompt both local and national conversations surrounding the use of force by law enforcement.
