The man accused of carrying out a mass shooting during a wedding reception at a New Hampshire country club has been identified.
Hunter Nadeau, 23, was arrested in connection with the deadly shooting at the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua on Saturday.
Nadeau shot and killed Robert Steven DeCesare, 59, with a ‘handgun,’ New Hampshire law enforcement said in a statement.
Two other adults were shot and wounded in the incident which unfolded around 7.30pm.
Eyewitnesses claimed they heard the gunman shout ‘free Palestine’ during the bloodbath.
Nadeau was charged with second-degree murder, but will likely face further charges authorities said.
He is set to be arraigned on September 22.
Nadeau’s social media profile indicates that he previously worked as a professional painter and had lived in New Mexico.
Police arrested Hunter Nadeau, 23, in connection with a fatal shooting at a wedding in Nashua, New Hampshire
Nadeau ‘shot and killed’ Robert DeCesare, 59, with a ‘handgun,’ New Hampshire law enforcement said
DeCesare’s mother, Evie O’Rourke, told WSLS: ‘He went down. My daughter-in-law and granddaughter escaped.’
‘They saw my son go down and they saw blood,’ she added.
DeCesare’s LinkedIn profile described him as a ‘HVAC veteran and entrepreneur’ with more than 40 years of experience.
He founded a mechanical trades staffing agency – ProTrade Staffing – in 2020, which he said reached $1million in annual revenue.
The 59-year-old also worked for CAC Mechanical Services as a project manager for almost 25 years.
Tom Bartelson, who was at Sky Meadow Country Club, said he heard the shooter say ‘the children are safe’ and ‘free Palestine.’
‘It looked like a target, that he was going right for this person,’ Bartelson said to WMUR.
Law enforcement said there were no known links between both men.
Law enforcement said there were no known links between both men
According to WHDH, the shooter was allegedly confronted by another diner at the club’s restaurant, who struck the assailant on the head with a chair, causing the gunman to drop his weapon.
The club, known for its ‘level of attention to detail that sets us apart from the rest,’ is situated about a 50-minute drive from Boston.
The wedding’s DJ, Michael Homewood, told WHDH that he saw the gunman, ‘stalking across the dance floor.’
He said: ‘I knew it was the guy because he wasn’t dressed up for a wedding, he wasn’t dressed up to go to dinner.
‘For lack of a better explanation, he just looked like a weirdo.’
Sophie Flabouris, another witness, told WCVB that she had heard many shots and hid under a table.
She said: ‘Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, and then, “Gun, run.” And people started screaming and running.’
Multiple ambulances, law enforcement units and SWAT teams were reported on the scene
Nashua police initially reported two armed suspects – with one detained and the other at large – on X at 8.34pm on Saturday.
At 9.21pm, police said that video surveillance confirmed only one shooter.
A statement from the New Hampshire Department of Justice said: ‘Initial reports indicating that there were two shooters were erroneous.’
There was a heavy police presence on the scene – with multiple ambulances, law enforcement units and SWAT teams reported.
The neighboring Dunstable Emergency Management in Massachusetts ordered residents to shelter in place after the shots were fired.
The shelter-in-place order has since been lifted.
The Sheraton Hotel – on Tara Boulevard – was designated by authorities as the unification site following the shooting.
At least half a dozen people were rushed to nearby hospitals.
Authorities confirmed that two other adults were shot and wounded in the incident
Nashua mayor Jim Donchess posted on Facebook: ‘Our hearts go out to the families of those killed or injured.
‘Thank you (to) the Nashua PD for quick work in catching the “person of interest.” This truly can happen anywhere.’
New Hampshire State Police are assisting with the investigation.
