The 23-year-old who shouted “Free Palestine” during his shooting rampage inside the Sky Meadow Country Club on Saturday night was using the slogan to create confusion, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said Sunday.
“We don’t think the statements he made lead us to any particular motive,” Formella said.
One man, Robert Steven DeCesare, 59, was killed. Two others were shot and wounded, and at least four others suffered non-gunshot injuries. A Sky Meadow employee who was shot is in critical but stable condition.
Formella and Nashua Police Chief Kevin Rourke gave an update on the investigation into the shooting and the arrest of suspect Hunter Nadeau. While Formella confirmed that Nadeau shouted “Free Palestine” during the shooting, evidence now suggests the incident was not politically motivated.
“Mr. Nadeau made a number of statements during the event. There’s no evidence this was motivated by a hate-based motivation. More likely, Mr. Nadeau was trying to make a number of different statements to create chaos in the moment,” Formella said.
Reports that Nadeau shouted “Free Palestine” made the Nashua shooting a national story, connecting it to a spike in violence on behalf of causes embraced by the political left, including “Globalize the Intifada,” so-called antifascism or Antifa, and transgender activism. Two weeks ago, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated by a shooter who spouted Antifa slogans and whose boyfriend is transitioning.
But Formella suggested the Nashua shooter’s use of the antisemitic slogan was a rhetorical smokescreen.
Formella did not disclose the other things Nadeau reportedly shouted, saying that witnesses heard and saw different things. He said investigators do not believe Nadeau had a political motive.
“He was making a lot of different statements. They don’t really give us much sense of his motive,” Formella said.
Instead, Formella told reporters that Nadeau is a Nashua resident and a former Sky Meadow employee. He last worked at the country club more than a year ago. While Formella did not elaborate, Nadeau’s residence and employment history suggest the likelihood of a more personal motive.
Nadeau entered the country club armed with a handgun, shot a Sky Meadow employee in a hallway, and then entered the Prime restaurant, where he shot DeCesare and one other patron. There is no known connection between Nadeau and DeCesare. DeCesare was dining with his family that night.
The shooting lasted about a minute, Formella said, thanks to restaurant patrons who confronted Nadeau and the quick police response. At least two of the people who confronted the shooter are among those with non-gunshot injuries. Formella hailed their selfless courage to protect the people around them.
“This could have been much worse,” Formella said.
DeCesare’s mother, Evie O’Rourke, told WCVB-TV that her son moved to protect his family in the face of the threat.
“He did what I’m sure was his instinct to do. Like I said, he was facing the shooter, not trying to get away, and that’s what his wife said,” O’Rourke said. “I’m still in shock seeing the shooting, but I know he did this: His thought was to take care of his family.”
Rourke said police were able to cut through the misinformation Saturday night and find Nadeau within half an hour. Multiple news outlets, as well as social media accounts, claimed there were two shooters.
Rourke did not give many details but said police found Nadeau in a nearby neighborhood and took him into custody without incident.
“He was cooperative,” Rourke said.
Nadeau is currently charged with second-degree murder and is set to be arraigned on Monday. Formella said more charges are anticipated as the investigation continues.
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