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One person was killed and several others were injured in a mass shooting that broke out during a wedding reception in a New Hampshire country club.
Around 8pm Saturday evening, shots rang out inside Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua, where more than 100 people were present, prompting a large-scale response from first responders.
Nashua police have since confirmed there was only one shooter - despite earlier reports suggesting two - and that a ‘person of interest’ is in custody, though no arrests had been made as of 1am EST.
Tom Bartelson, a witness, reported that the shooter seemed to be targeting a specific individual and shouted ‘Free Palestine’ during the rampage, according to WMUR News.
'He looked like a target, that he was going right for this person. So, I feel terrible for him,' the Bartelson told the outlet.
'What he said was the children were safe, and, you know, free Palestine,' he added.
The gunman was allegedly stopped by another man dining at the club’s restaurant, who said he struck him over the head with a chair, causing him to drop his gun, according to WHDH 7 News.
According to the unidentified witness, he heard a loud noise as he was getting ready to leave but assumed it was a balloon popping at the large wedding being held at the club.
He explained hearing two more harrowing pops before spotting a man armed with a gun.
'I got up immediately and hit him in the head with a chair and another guy tackled him,' the unidentified witness told the outlet.
'When I hit him in the head with a chair, he dropped his gun and ran,' he added.
Although it remains unconfirmed whether the gunman fired inside Prime - the country club’s restaurant - or the wedding reception room, several witnesses reported that he entered through the main entrance.
He said that after shots were fired, wedding guests began pouring out of their designated room, confused and uncertain about what had just occurred.
'It was nothing to do with the wedding,' the man told WHDH 7.
'He just walked into the main entrance, he shot one, there's two bullet casings in the hallway, and then he entered the restaurant and continued to shoot,' he added.
The Attorney General’s Office and Nashua police held a brief press conference on Saturday evening, confirming that a male victim had died in the shooting, as reported by WMUR News.
At least half a dozen others were rushed to nearby hospitals, though the total number of injured victims remains unclear.
Officials said that in the chaotic aftermath, several injuries - both gunshot-related and otherwise - were reported. Many people frantically fled the country club and sought help at nearby fire stations.
Sophie Flabouris, of Lowell, was attending the wedding when she heard several shots. Her immediate reaction was to hide under a table, according to WCVB News.
During the reception, Flabouris said she heard ‘pop, pop, pop, pop, pop’ coming from the neighboring restaurant.
She then heard someone shout, ‘Gun, run!’ before people began screaming and fleeing.
'Some people ran out the door. Some people ran into the kitchen,' Flabouris told the outlet. 'People ran all different directions.'
During the shooting, an unidentified father frantically spoke on the phone with his terrified daughter, who was working just next door in the banquet area beside the Prime restaurant, according to WMUR.
He said she explained that there was a glass window you could see right through, and just as she turned, she saw a man dressed entirely in black pull out what appeared to be a gun or rifle and begin shooting.
Michael Homewood, another witness, told WCVB that he saw the gunman walk across the dance floor and head straight into the kitchen.
'He walked through the kitchen and went up to other guests and flipped them off and said various things and walked right out the back door of the kitchen,' Homewood told the outlet.
A heavy police presence was on the scene, with over nine ambulances reported, multiple law enforcement units responding, and SWAT teams deployed.
'Ground assets as well as our K9 team and our Airwing initially responded, but all assets have since been cleared,' Sarah Burgess, spokesperson for the Massachusetts State Police, told WMUR.
Investigators reportedly searched for a Toyota RAV4 connected to the shooting, which was later found near the scene and towed, according to the outlet. The SUV was seen wrapped in bright yellow crime tape.
When questioned about the shooter’s possible motive during the conference, officials were unable to provide any additional details.
'We're dealing with the facts and the information that we gather, and once we get the facts and information and have an actual motive we can actually share, we'll certainly do that,' Peter Hinckley, Senior Assistant Attorney General for New Hampshire, said.
Following the shots, Dunstable Emergency Management in Massachusetts ordered residents to shelter in place.
A post to their social media said: 'This order is being implemented out of caution in connection with an active threat incident at Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua.'
'Please remain indoors, lock all doors and windows, do not allow anyone into your home unless you know them personally, stay off the roads in the affected area to allow emergency responders access, and monitor official town communication channels for updates.'
However, the shelter-in-place order has since been lifted, and authorities stated there is ‘no threat to the general public.’
Authorities have designated The Sheraton Hotel at 11 Tara Boulevard as a reunification site.
New Hampshire Representative Maggie Goodlander said in a post to X: 'I’m closely monitoring the tragic reports of a shooting tonight.
'My heart is with the victims, their families, and the entire Nashua community as we await more information,' she added.
Sky Meadow is a private country club featuring a golf course, restaurants, and a function hall.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Nashua Police Department 603-594-3500.
This is a breaking news story.