A 27-year-old man is dead and a woman remains hospitalized after a shooting at a Newport, New Hampshire, home that investigators believe may have been a domestic incident involving a romantic couple.
Newport police responded to a report of a shooting at a residence on Putnam Road shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22. When emergency crews arrived, they found a woman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the area and a man deceased inside the home.
The woman was treated at the scene before being transported to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. She was initially listed in critical but stable condition and was later reported to be stable while continuing to receive treatment.
Police identified the man as Jack Steele, 27, of Newport. An examination by the New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Steele died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, with his manner of death ruled a suicide.
Investigators believe Steele and the injured woman were in a romantic relationship. Based on the evidence gathered so far, police believe he shot the woman before taking his own life. Authorities have continued to describe the circumstances as an active investigation as they work to establish the full sequence of events.
Newport Police Chief Alex Lee said investigators are conducting additional interviews to better understand the circumstances and history surrounding the incident. The woman’s identity has not been released while those interviews continue.
Several law enforcement agencies have assisted Newport police with the investigation, including the Claremont Police Department, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office drone unit and New Hampshire State Police personnel.
Police have said there is no ongoing threat to the public connected to the shooting. The Newport School District was also notified, and local schools were expected to operate normally following the incident.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information that could help investigators is asked to contact the Newport Police Department at 603-863-3232.
