Law enforcement officers block access to Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua, New Hampshire, following a shooting incident on Saturday, September 20, 2025.
Michael Casey/AP
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Michael Casey/AP
Authorities reported that a shooting at a New Hampshire country club on Saturday resulted in one fatality and multiple injuries.
The deceased, identified as an adult male, was found at the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua, according to statements from New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella and Nashua Police Chief Kevin Rourke.
Officials clarified that the suspect, also an adult male apprehended at the scene, acted alone, dispelling earlier claims of multiple assailants. Police confirmed that the public is no longer at risk.
Investigations are ongoing to uncover the motive behind the attack, as noted by New Hampshire Senior Assistant Attorney General Peter Hinckley.
Details regarding the condition of those injured have not yet been released.
Tom Bartelson, a guest from Pepperell, Massachusetts, who was attending a wedding at the club, recounted the terrifying moments. He overheard the shooter proclaim phrases such as “the children are safe” and “free Palestine,” suggesting a targeted intent.
“We were about to start the bride and groom’s dance when suddenly chaos erupted,” Bartelson recalled. “I heard roughly six gunshots, and everyone immediately sought cover. We were quickly ushered to secure locations.”
He described the panic as people dropped to the floor and scrambled to escape the danger.
“Our priority was protecting family members, keeping everyone low, and finding safe spots,” he added.
A Disaster Relief vehicle from the American Red Cross is parked outside a hotel designated as a reunification center following the shooting at the Nashua country club on Saturday, September 20, 2025.
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Evie O’Rourke from Salem, New Hampshire, who was present during the incident, shared her distress as she searched for her son, Robert Decesare of Nashua.
“We have no idea where he is. He collapsed. My daughter-in-law and granddaughter managed to escape… They witnessed him fall and saw blood, but we still haven’t located him,” she expressed.
Emily Ernst, another eyewitness, described seeing the shooter dressed entirely in black.
“He wore a mask. I saw him raise his weapon, and I immediately fled,” Ernst said. “I ran through the kitchen to save myself.”
Footage from WMUR-TV captured numerous emergency personnel responding swiftly to the scene. Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess expressed confidence in law enforcement’s ability to resolve the case and hold the perpetrator accountable.
“This serves as a reminder to all communities that such tragedies can occur anywhere, no matter how unexpected,” Donchess remarked.
U.S. Representative Maggie Goodlander issued a statement conveying her concern, saying she was “closely following the heartbreaking reports of the shooting at Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua” and extended her sympathies to the victims, their families, and the local community.
Nashua is located approximately 45 miles (70 kilometers) northwest of Boston, just over the border from Massachusetts.
