Court documents released Monday shed new light on the criminal and mental health history of John Madore, the man accused of killing a security guard inside the lobby of a secure psychiatric facility in Concord last Friday.
Madore, 33, was killed by a New Hampshire state trooper shortly after firing several shots in the New Hampshire Hospital lobby, striking and killing Bradley Haas, a retired police chief from Franklin who worked as a security officer at the hospital.
Earlier coverage: What we know so far about Friday's shooting at New Hampshire Hospital
Madore, according to court records, was treated within New Hampshire Hospital while suffering from acute mental illness in 2016.
In January of that year, Strafford police responded to a distress call, according to an affidavit made public Monday. Madore’s mother told authorities her son was upset that the family had decided to put down their dog. Madore allegedly grabbed his mother’s neck and knocked her to the floor, before also choking his sister.
When officers arrived, Madore had barricaded himself in a bedroom, and told officers “he has firearms and this was not going to end well,” according to court records.
A SWAT team was called to the home, but before their arrival, Madore surrendered peacefully. Officers found a loaded “SKS assault rifle with a 30 round magazine, locked and loaded, on the bed along with a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun, also loaded with a 15 round magazine,” according to court documents
Madore is accused of killing Haas last Friday with a 9mm gun, as well, but it isn’t clear if the same weapon was used.
Madore was charged with second degree assault, felony reckless conduct and simple assault for his alleged attack on his mother and sister, and for threatening the responding Strafford police officers. His bail was set at $5,000, but reduced to personal recognizance as long as he obtained a mental health referral.
Court records show that approximately three weeks after the alleged assault on his family, he was transported to Wentworth Douglass Hospital, on Jan. 31, 2016, and subsequently transferred to New Hampshire Hospital, a secure psychiatric facility, on Feb. 5, 2016. He was released on Feb. 18, 2016 and immediately lost contact with authorities, violating his bail conditions, and is believed to have been living in Connecticut or New Jersey for a time, according to statements from the county prosecutor.
In May 2016, police responded to the same home in Strafford after receiving reports that Madore was attempting to kill himself. Madore fled from the home when he learned an ambulance was set to arrive, according to court records. Two days later, police again were called to the home on reports that Madore was “out of control.” He was then located in the woods with a rope around his neck, and told police his feet hurt from being barefoot in the woods all night. He was taken to a local hospital where he was involuntarily committed.
It isn’t clear from court records how long Madore was treated, or if he was transferred to New Hampshire Hospital.
In October 2017, the charges against Madore involving the incident with his mother and sister were dropped, with portions of the court file sealed. His immediate family and attorney from 2016 didn’t respond to requests for comment Monday.
Since that time, he had no interactions with authorities in New Hampshire, according to publicly available court records.
In 2014, Madore was charged with carrying a handgun without a license and resisting arrest. He eventually pleaded guilty to resisting arrest, and the handgun charge was placed on file without a finding, according to the court docket. He paid a fine and was sentenced on the condition that he maintain good behavior.
State prosecutors haven’t released information about how the weapon involved in the shooting inside the hospital last week was obtained. An AR-style rifle was located in a U-Haul found on the hospital’s campus, along with a tactical vest and ammunition, but authorities have not confirmed that Madore was the driver of the vehicle.
Editor's note: People can call or text 833-710-6477 for New Hampshire’s Rapid Response Access Point, for help in a mental health or substance use crisis.
They can also go to NAMI’s website or social media channels for information about additional crisis resources.
