Shooting Suspect Hunter Nadeau
NASHUA, NH – Attorney General John M. Formula and Nashua Police Chief Kevin Rourke gave an update on Saturday night’s shooting at Sky Meadow Country Club during a press conference at the Nashua Police Department Headquarters Sunday.
At approximately 7:20 p.m. on Saturday, Nashua Fire dispatch center received multiple calls reporting gunshot victims at 6 Mountain Laurels Dr., at the Sky Meadow Country Club.
Nashua resident Hunter Nadeau, 23, a former employee of the country club, has been arrested and charged with reckless second-degree murder for shooting and killing Robert Steven DeCesare, 59, with a handgun. Formella clarified that Nadeau had not worked there for more than a year.
In the same incident, Nadeau shot and wounded two other adults, an employee at the restaurant and a patron. One of the victims is at Mass General Hospital and it in critical but stable condition.
Four other individuals – all patrons – suffered non-gun shot wounds.
Nashua Police Chief Kevin Rourke. left, addresses the press during a news conference held at police headquarters on Sept. 21 as NH Attorney General John Formella looks on. (Photo/Mya Blanchard)
An autopsy will be conducted Monday on Mr. DeCesare by the Chief Medical Examiner.
As the investigation continues, Attorney Formella said they expect additional charges will be added.
Formella said that the incident was a “fairly contained event,” lasting “well under a minute.”
According to Rourke, police officers responded “quickly, swifty, and effectively” to an incident in which there was conflicting information at the offset – including that there may have been two shooters, which was found to be false information.
“Within thirty minutes these officers were able to find someone and detain them who ended up being the suspect. That is remarkable,” he said. “With events like this that you see around the country or the world, to find someone in thirty minutes, is pretty effective. Pretty efficient. And they did it safely.”
Reports were made that during the incident that Nadeau made a number of statements, such as “Free Palestine.” Formella did not confirm that.
“We don’t have any evidence at this time that would indicate that Mr. Nadeau was motivated by a hate-based motivation,” Formella said. “In fact I would say at this point the evidence leads us to believe that it is more likely that Mr. Nadeau was simply trying to make a number of statements to create chaos in the moment.”
The investigation is still in it’s early stages and the motive is not yet known.
It is expected that Mr. Nadeau will be arraigned in Nashua District Court at 1 p.m. Monday, although the court schedule is subject to change.
A vigil is planned for Sunday night at City Hall at 6:30 p.m. and an official vigil on Sept. 25 at Greeley Park.
Also on Sunday, Sky Meadow Country Club owner Rob Parsons released the following statement:
“I, along with everyone within the Sky Meadow Country Club community, am heartbroken over the tragic event that unfolded last night. This was the heinous act of a coward who will be held to account for what he did.
“To the DeCesare family, there are no words to express the pain and sorrow you—and our community—are feeling over Robert’s murder. He is a hero. To our very own employee and our guest who were shot and are recovering, and to the countless others impacted, we’re here for you and your families. Always.
“We are profoundly grateful for the courageous efforts of patrons and employees who acted selflessly to prevent further tragedy. We also extend our deepest appreciation to the Nashua Police Department, New Hampshire Attorney General’s office, and the multiple other law enforcement agencies whose swift action led to the perpetrator’s capture within minutes, and to the first responders who cared for the victims.
“From the very first moments of this incident, we have worked closely with law enforcement and will continue to do so.
“Sky Meadow and the City of Nashua are safe, tight-knit communities, built on fellowship, compassion, and resilience. Those values have been on full display in the thousands of messages of support we have received since this horrific incident began unfolding.
“The safety, security, and wellbeing of our members, guests, and staff are — and will always remain — our highest priority. We will not let the cowardly acts of this perpetrator define us.”
Sky Meadow Country Club owner Rob Parsons
These articles are being shared by partners in the Granite State News Collaborative.Don’t just read this. Share it with one person who doesn’t usually follow local news — that’s how we make an impact. For more information, visit collaborativenh.org.