NASHUA, N.H. — A 24-year-old man accused of posting threats to kill local police officers on social media and making bomb threats is in custody after a vehicle pursuit into Massachusetts, police said Monday.
Daniel Mercado, of Nashua, was held on preventative detention after waiving extradition following his arrest on Friday in Massachusetts, police said.
Mercado is charged with two counts of felony criminal threatening, felony false reports (explosives/bomb threats), misdemeanor disobeying an officer, and misdemeanor reckless driving, police said. He is slated to be arraigned in the 9th Circuit District Division Court in Nashua on Monday.
On Wednesday, Nashua police officers took a report that “Mercado was posting threats on social media saying he was going to kill Nashua Police Officers by shooting them, hitting them with his vehicle, and throwing explosives at them while driving around in his car,” police said.
Officers found Mercado and his car and tried to stop his vehicle, but Mercado drove off. Police pursued Mercado into Massachusetts, where police stopped him and took him into custody.
Officers then learned that Mercado claimed that he had placed timed explosives in Nashua and Merrimack for the Fourth of July, police said. An investigation by detectives later confirmed that Mercado’s statements about the explosives were false.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Crime Line at 603-589-1665.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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