Standoff with suspects inside Manchester, NH, hotel continues

MANCHESTER, N.H. — A tense standoff between police and people barricaded in a hotel continued into Thursday morning as a police SWAT team responded to reports of shots fired at the Quality Inn in Manchester.

LATEST: 1 killed in officer-involved shooting at Manchester hotel; standoff continues

The hours-long standoff continues as negotiators try to make contact with people inside the hotel.

"Multiple rounds have been fired toward police positions outside of the room within the last several minutes. Our officers remain on scene attempting to negotiate with the barricaded subjects inside," Manchester Police tweeted shortly before 11 p.m.

Minutes later, police tweeted: "Members of the MPD SWAT TEAM remain on scene while crisis negotiators make repeated attempts to negotiate with the barricaded subjects."

"This is a fluid situation so details are limited," Manchester Police Capt. Brian O'Keefe said hours earlier.

"Additional shots fired with barricaded subjects inside of the hotel. Please stay away from the area," O'Keefe said.

Witnesses told Boston 25 News that they initially heard between six to eight gunshots. The hotel was also evacuated.

Police told them "there's active gunfire at the hotel and that we have to take cover behind the building," one man said.

Multiple officers responded to the hotel located at 55 John E. Devine Drive after receiving a report of a shooting there at 7:31 p.m. Wednesday.

"Once the officers were here, it was determined that the shots were fired. They investigated it, a SWAT team was called in. A short time later, within 45 minutes, we had an additional shots fired call with at least one barricaded subject inside," O'Keefe said during a 9:30 p.m. press conference. "Currently the SWAT team is here evacuating the building to make sure all the patrons inside are safe."

Further details on the shooting and the extent of injuries were not immediately available.

One officer at the scene told a Boston 25 News crew to "stay out of the line of fire."

Police have closed off traffic to streets including John E. Devine Drive and South Willow and John E. Devine Drive at March Avenue.

"This is an ongoing investigation, with limited information. Expect updates shortly. Multiple street closures in the area," O'Keefe said Wednesday night.

Watch for updates on Boston 25 News at 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. and at Boston25news.com. 

Cox Media Group