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Weare, NH Officer Shot While Responding To Domestic Violence Call; Suspect Found Dead

WEARE, N.H. (CBS) – A New Hampshire police officer is set to undergo surgery after he was shot early Thursday morning while responding to a domestic violence call in Weare. The suspect was found dead inside the home after a SWAT team response.

Police were called to Buckley Road just before 2 a.m. When officers arrived, they helped a woman safely escape the home. An exchange of gunfire happened a short time later between the suspect and police.

Jeffrey Clough-Garvin, 43, was found dead inside the home around 8:30 a.m. Police are investigating how he died.

Weare Police Officer William "Paul" Lewis, 27, was shot in the arm. Weare Police said Lewis is in "very good spirits" and will undergo surgery Thursday afternoon. Lewis has been with the department for just over one year.

Paul Lewis
Weare Police Officer Paul Lewis. (Image Credit: Weare Police)

Attorney General Gordon McDonald said Weare police officers wear body cameras and it appears the incident was recorded. McDonald said at least some of the footage will be released to the public in the future.

Mary Coutourier and her husband were among the neighbors who sheltered in place during the incident.

"I can't believe that it's happening here," Mary said. "We didn't know at first (what was happening). We just heard all the helicopters earlier this morning. We didn't know what was going on."

weare
Police on scene of a Weare neighborhood where an officer was shot. (WBZ-TV)

Multiple neighbors said they had met the suspect the previous day at a nearby community pool.

Charles Gordon lives near the shooting scene and heard the gunshots ring out Thursday morning. He said had previously seen Clough-Garvin shooting target practice in the yard of the home where the officer was injured.

"They always have guns. He shoots right over there at a target, which I thought was kind of weird, especially with kids here," Gordon said.

Gordon said he was stunned to see the incident unfold in the quiet neighborhood.

"Last thing I ever expected to see," said Gordon.

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