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Nickenley Turenne

Age : 24

Gender : Male

Race : Black

Date : 12/06/2025

Location : Green Acres Elementary School area, South Mammoth Road

City : Manchester

County : Hillsborough

State : New Hampshire

Agency : Manchester Police Department

Officer(s) :Andre Chan, Brandon Baliko, Devin Lambert

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by police during foot pursuit

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 12/06/2025, shortly before dawn, Manchester Police Department officers responded to the area of Green Acres Elementary School after receiving a report of a suspicious vehicle parked near the school. Officers found 24-year-old Nickenley Turenne asleep inside a vehicle with a woman who was the subject of a court order prohibiting contact between the two. When an officer approached the vehicle, Turenne drove away, crashed into a fence a short distance later, and fled on foot. Officers pursued him through a residential neighborhood while repeatedly ordering him to stop and show his hands.
According to the New Hampshire Attorney General's investigation, Turenne refused repeated commands to remove one of his hands from his pocket and told officers to tell his family he loved them and not to shoot him. As additional officers arrived, Turenne walked back toward the crash scene. He then removed an object from his sweatshirt pocket that emitted a bright white light, gripped it with both hands, and pointed it toward Officer Andre Chan. Believing the object was a handgun and that Chan was about to be shot, Officers Andre Chan, Brandon Baliko, and Devin Lambert opened fire. Turenne was struck five times and died at the scene. Investigators later determined the object was a black flashlight rather than a firearm. It was 5 a.m. and completely dark and that may have played a role in him identifying what he was up against.
The Attorney General's Office conducted an independent investigation that included body-camera video, forensic evidence, witness interviews, dispatch records, and officer statements. On 07/01/2026, Attorney General John Formella announced that the three officers were legally justified in using deadly force because it was objectively reasonable for them to believe Turenne posed an imminent deadly threat, even though they were mistaken about the flashlight. The officers were cleared of criminal wrongdoing and returned to duty after administrative leave.
Turenne's family strongly disputed the Attorney General's conclusions. Their attorney, Marsha Kazarosian, stated that the family believes Turenne's civil rights were violated and indicated that a civil lawsuit remains a possibility despite the decision not to file criminal charges. Community organizations, including Black Lives Matter New Hampshire and the New Hampshire Collective Power Coalition, organized demonstrations, public meetings, and advocacy campaigns demanding accountability, transparency, and changes to police policies. Protesters argued that the shooting demonstrated the need for reforms in police use-of-force practices and criticized the length of time required to complete the state investigation.
On 08/05/2026, community leaders renewed those calls following the Attorney General's decision, urging Manchester officials and state lawmakers to adopt a statewide use-of-force policy, strengthen independent oversight of law enforcement agencies, provide victim advocates for families affected by police shootings, modify the Manchester Police Department's return-to-duty policy for officers involved in fatal shootings, and increase transparency in police investigations. Family members and supporters said the shooting continued to erode trust between law enforcement and Manchester's Black community and vowed to continue seeking accountability through public advocacy and potential civil litigation.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://indepthnh.org/2026/08/05/community-members-call-for-policy-changes-after-death-of-nickenley-turenne/
https://indepthnh.org/2026/07/01/ag-clears-manchester-police-in-turenne-shooting-death/
https://www.nepm.org/2026-07-01/officers-who-killed-nickenley-turenne-cleared-after-ag-review-manchester