PORTSMOUTH, NH – A man accused of murdering a woman in New Hampshire was shot dead by police on the Piscataqua River Bridge, which links New Hampshire and Maine. An 8-year-old child was found fatally shot in the man’s vehicle, according to authorities.
The Piscataqua River Bridge, part of Interstate 95, was reopened on Thursday morning after approximately seven hours of closure caused by the incident. This led to significant traffic congestion on both sides of the bridge. Maine State Police directed drivers to two other bridges in the interim.
The suspect is believed to have murdered a woman in Troy, New Hampshire, situated approximately 100 miles west of the bridge. He then drove to the bridge where he was engaged by police, culminating in a fatal shooting. The incident is currently under investigation by the Maine Attorney General’s Office.
New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella issued a news release detailing the situation. The exact circumstances around the child’s death remain under active investigation. The identities of the involved parties have not been disclosed yet.
The Piscataqua River Bridge, connecting Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to Kittery, Maine, experiences daily traffic of between 70,000 and 80,000 vehicles, as reported by the Maine Department of Transportation.