The Attorney General's office has ruled that a police officer and security guard were justified in shooting a man at the New Boston Space Force Station last year.
In May 2022, New Boston police officer Shane Morton and on-site security guard Peter White both responded to an incident at the federal facility involving 33-year-old Michael Foley. The attorney general’s office said Foley arrived at the site around 11:30 p.m. on May 13, with the lights on his vehicle turned off.
The attorney general’s office said Foley was exhibiting signs of mental distress, and the officials confronted Foley and attempted to de-escalate. Within 20 minutes, according to the attorney general’s office, both White and Morton shot at Foley, with White's shot killing him.
The attorney general’s office typically reviews fatal police shootings in New Hampshire. In this case, they also reviewed the actions of White, the security guard, because he was involved in an incident that also involved a sworn law enforcement officer.
At a Friday media briefing, Associate Attorney General Jeff Strelzin said the shooting was justified because White believed Morton, the police officer's, life was in danger.
The attorney general’s investigation found that Foley had an Air Soft rifle, a knife, two propane tanks and a gasoline container in his possession.
According to the attorney general’s office, Foley was formerly enlisted in the Army National Guard and “it appeared that [he] may have been living inside his car prior to the incident.”
As previously reported by NHPR and the Concord Monitor, the majority of fatal police shootings in New Hampshire in recent years have involved people experiencing mental health crises.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available. You can contact the New Hampshire Rapid Response Access Point at 1-833-710-7477, or you can call or text 988 for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Both are available 24/7.
