Police kill man on I-95 high-level bridge after woman, child killed

KITTERY, Maine — Police fatally shot a man Thursday morning on the high-level Piscataqua River Bridge on Interstate 95 after the death of a woman and a 8-year-old boy, according to authorities in New Hampshire and Maine.

Authorities said it appears the man killed the woman at a residence in Troy, New Hampshire, overnight and then drove to the I-95 bridge. Police on the bridge found the deceased 8-year-old child fatally shot in the man's vehicle, officials said.

Maine State Police Col. William Ross said York police received a 911 call at 2:07 a.m., leading New Hampshire police to respond to a home in Troy, New Hampshire, where the woman was found dead.

Kittery police found the man in his vehicle on the southbound side of the bridge about 2:30 a.m., according to Ross.

Ross said police tried negotiating with the man, who got out of his vehicle and eventually raised his weapon. Maine State Police Trooper Craig Nilsen and two New Hampshire troopers fired, killing the suspect, according to Ross.

The man fell off the bridge into the water and his body was later recovered. A body was seen being packaged by law enforcement for removal Thursday morning at Pepperrell Cove in Kittery, a short distance from the bridge. Officials did not immediately confirm the body was the suspect who was fatally shot by police.

Police said the child's death was "not associated with police officers' use of deadly force," noting the child was dead inside the vehicle prior to police firing their weapons.

The troopers involved in the incident are on administrative leave pending the investigation into the use of deadly force, which is standard protocol, Ross said.

The bridge connecting Kittery and Portsmouth, New Hampshire was closed for several hours following the early morning standoff, snarling local traffic, and reopened by 9:45 a.m., according to authorities.

Officials did not immediately release names of the people involved.

"We are not releasing any identities at this point until (the state medical examiner) formally identifies (the dead suspect) and next of kin is notified," Maine State Police spokesperson Shannon Moss said.

There is no threat to the general public, officials said.

Traffic was being diverted to the two other local bridges and motorists were advised to seek alternate routes, police said.

The Maine attorney general is investigating the officer-involved shooting incident, officials said.

Traffic slows to crawl in Portsmouth and Kittery

Traffic detours caused major disruptions Thursday morning throughout the Seacoast. There were long lines of traffic to the Memorial Bridge and Sarah Mildred Long Bridge connecting Portsmouth and Kittery. Kittery's Town Hall opened after a delay.

Richard Arcand, spokesperson for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, said the part-time shoulder lane used from time to time on the high-level structure wasn’t immediately open upon the bridge’s reopening Thursday.

However, with drivers being diverted to the Memorial Bridge and Sarah Long Bridge for a time to avoid the Piscataqua River Bridge, streets and neighborhoods around Portsmouth and Kittery, Maine were packed with cars slowly moving.

Arcand said it's likely early Labor Day weekend traffic added to the number of vehicles caught up in the delays.

“Definitely there were some tie-ups around the Portsmouth (traffic) circle, over on Market Street,” Arcand said. “When you have 70,000 cars normally going through northbound and southbound every day, it’s going to have a traffic impact. It was probably a pretty rough start for a lot of people this morning in that area.”

Arcand recommended travelers sign up for a roadway and traffic alert system offered by newengland511.org.

Advocate 'heartbroken' about tragedy

“The recent news cycle has left us heartbroken, and we are grieving for the communities impacted by this senseless tragedy," said Amanda Grady Sexton, director of public affairs for the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. "We are always shocked when these homicides happen in rapid succession, and 2024 has been an especially difficult year in New Hampshire."

"Confidential advocates are available at New Hampshire’s 12 crisis centers and are trained to provide support 24/7," she said. "If you or someone you know needs help, please call our free statewide helpline to speak with an advocate in your community."

The number to call is 1-866-644-3574.

"You do not need to be in crisis to call," Sexton said.

This story will be updated.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Police kill man on I-95 bridge in Portsmouth after two killed