Search fatalities

David Ward

Age : 57

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 08/12/2025

Location : West Street and Gilbo Avenue

City : Keene

County : Cheshire

State : New Hampshire

Agency : Keene Police Department; New Hampshire State Police

Officer(s) :Five unnamed SWAT officers

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed in a vehicle standoff by state police and SWAT

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 08/12/2025, Keene Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop involving 57-year-old David Ward near West Street and Gilbo Avenue in downtown Keene. Ward was driving and an adult woman was riding with him. Shortly after the stop began, the woman got out of the vehicle and moved away while Ward remained inside. Authorities reported that officers received information that Ward had a firearm and subsequently observed him with a gun. Police secured the surrounding area and requested additional resources.
Ward remained inside the vehicle for several hours while police attempted to resolve the encounter. New Hampshire State Police SWAT personnel eventually responded with armored vehicles and established positions around Ward's car. Authorities characterized the encounter as a prolonged armed standoff and reported that Ward would not leave the vehicle or relinquish the firearm.
At approximately 8:00 p.m., five New Hampshire State Police SWAT troopers were positioned around Ward's vehicle. The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office alleged that gunfire then came from Ward's position and that multiple rounds struck a State Police armored SWAT vehicle. Five state troopers responded by firing at Ward, striking him multiple times. No police personnel were physically injured.
One of the State Police armored vehicles was equipped with a video camera that recorded the shooting. The Attorney General's Office announced that investigators had secured the recording for review as part of the investigation, providing video evidence capable of being compared with the officers' accounts of the final confrontation.
Ward was pronounced dead following the shooting. Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Mitchell L. Weinberg performed an autopsy on 08/13/2025 and determined that Ward died from multiple gunshot wounds. The New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner classified the manner of death as homicide.
The New Hampshire Department of Justice opened an investigation with assistance from the New Hampshire State Police Major Crimes Unit. The Attorney General initially withheld the identities of the five SWAT troopers who fired pending their formal interviews. The public materials located for this update do not establish that the Attorney General subsequently released the five troopers' names or issued a final public charging report.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/nh-man-killed-during-police-standoff-after-multiple-rounds-struck-armored-swat-vehicle-ag-says/DBR2EKDNHRH4NFGLQEX4KEFHQA/
https://indepthnh.org/2025/08/13/ag-ids-keene-man-killed-in-troopers-involved-shooting/
https://www.mynbc5.com/article/keene-nh-td-bank-shooting/65675956
https://www.wmur.com/article/keene-new-hampshire-police-shooting-813/65705374