This story was originally produced by the Concord Monitor. NHPR is republishing it in partnership with the Granite State News Collaborative.
Law enforcement officers were legally justified in two separate shootings, one in Keene and one in Hampstead, both involving individuals who were experiencing mental health crises, New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office found.
On the morning of April 29 in Keene, 25-year-old Cullen Costa attempted to take his own life by shooting himself, but his gun failed to fire, he told investigators.
He then called 911 and made a false report of a suspicious individual near his home, intending to provoke what is commonly known as “suicide by cop.”
When Keene Police Officer Jake Dube responded to the area, he spoke with Costa, who identified himself as the 911 caller.
As Dube told Costa he would search the neighborhood, Costa pulled a gun from his pocket and held it at a ready position near his waist, according to the Attorney General's report.
Dube ordered Costa to put the gun down several times. But Costa ignored him.
Fearing for his life, Dube drove his cruiser forward into the middle of the street at an angle to use it as cover and radioed for assistance, the report states.
Costa continued to ignore Dube’s commands, including repeated warnings of “I’m going to shoot you! Drop the gun!” He instead walked toward the officer with the gun raised. Dube fired, striking Costa in the chest.
The report states that Dube felt “it was necessary to fire at Costa to stop the threat.”
After recovering from his injuries, Costa told investigators that he intended to “unload the ammunition from his gun before he used it to threaten the officer because he had no intent to harm the officer, however, he forgot to do so.”
Hampstead shooting
In a separate incident on March 18, 2024, officers were dispatched to 42 Oldham Road in Hampstead at 3:47 p.m. following a report of a suicidal resident.
The 911 caller reported that Robert Boulter, 51, had a gun to his head.
The report states that Boulter, who had a history of alcoholism and mental health struggles, told the caller he “couldn’t do this anymore” and wanted to “end it all” and warned that he would kill any law enforcement that responded.
With little foliage between the two roads in March, officers were forced to park well short of the property line to avoid being visible from the home’s front porch.
Danville Police Officer Alec Grenier, who was assisting, stepped out of his patrol car. Boulter came onto the porch carrying an AR-style rifle and aimed it directly at him, according to the report.
Officers shouted repeatedly for Boulter to drop the weapon. He refused.
Deputy Chief Adam Dyer and Detective Scott Randell with the Hampstead Police Department opened fire on Boulter.
Both Dyer and Randell told investigators that they “felt that it was necessary to fire at Mr. Boulter.”
Dyer fired four shots and Randell fired two. Some of the rounds struck Boulter, including one that hit his right arm.
In the moments before firing, Dyer had aimed his rifle at Boulter only to hear it click. He hadn’t yet chambered a live round. He quickly did so, re-aimed, and fired, believing Boulter was about to ambush Officer Grenier.
For the next two minutes, Dyer continued shouting commands for Boulter to surrender.
Boulter responded by saying, “Please don’t hurt my dog” and “please protect her,” the report states.
After officers assured him his dog would not be harmed, Boulter walked unarmed onto the front lawn and was taken into custody
Before the shooting, Boulter had released his German Shepherd toward the officers, though the dog did not advance on them, according to the report.
“It was more than reasonable for both officers to believe that the life of another person, Officer Grenier, was in danger, and that it was necessary to use deadly force to defend him,” the report states.
