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Hampton Falls Standoff Ends With Arrest of Man And Woman

HAMPTON FALLS, N.H. (CBS) -- A man and woman were arrested Tuesday after barricading themselves inside an apartment building, the state police said.

At about 10:30 a.m., Hampton Falls Police officers and state police troopers were dispatched to 24 Lafayette Road in Hampton Falls to assist Amesbury Massachusetts Police regarding an ongoing investigation, the state police reported in a prepared statement Tuesday night.

When they arrived, the officers and troopers encountered two individuals wanted for questioning in the investigation, but the pair fled from the police and barricaded themselves inside the residence. After numerous unsuccessful efforts were made to contact the suspects and gain their surrender peacefully, a N.H. State Police SWAT Unit was dispatched to the scene.

With the assistance of the N.H. State Police Crisis Negotiations Unit, negotiations led to the barricaded individuals surrendering to the SWAT Unit without incident.

Amato
Melissa Amato, 32, of 24 Lafayette Road, No. 7, Hampton Falls, N.H., faces charges including burglary. (Credit: Hampton Falls Police Department)

The suspects were identified as Darren Gragg, 36, of 24 Lafayette Road, No. 7, Hampton Falls, and Melissa Amato, 32, also of 24 Lafayette Road, No. 7, Hampton Falls, the state police reported. Gragg and Amato were charged with burglary and face arraignment in the 10th Circuit Court-Seabrook Division on Wednesday.

The Hampton Falls and Amesbury, Massachusetts, Police are investigating this incident and additional criminal charges are anticipated, the state police said.

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