Tear gas deployed; streets blocked for hours

NASHUA – The 11-hour police standoff Friday on Chestnut Street came to an end around 11:30 p.m., police said, with the arrest of Shawn Goodine, a resident of 148 1/2 Chestnut St.

Goodine, 43, allegedly holed himself up in the apartment building, a large multi-unit residence at the corner of Chestnut and Brook streets. just south of Lake Street, when police arrived to investigate a report of a domestic disturbance at that location.

Police said Goodine had allegedly threatened a female at the residence, and “subsequently refused to comply with officers orders to come out of the residence.” “Information was received that Goodine was in possession of a firearm and was uncooperative with requests to comply with police,” according to a police statement.

Police said officers received information indicating Goodine was armed with a firearm, believed to be a handgun, and he allegedly was “uncooperative with requests to comply with police.”

The department activated its SWAT team, police said. Its Bearcat armored vehicle was also deployed to the scene.

Goodine ultimately surrendered, police said, and was taken into custody without further incident.

He is charged with one count each of domestic violence — criminal threatening; resisting arrest or detention; and criminal threatening.

All are Class A misdemeanors. Goodine was booked and taken to Valley Street jail pending arraignment, which is scheduled for Monday in Nashua district court.

Police said the investigation is ongoing, and that additional charges are pending.

The standoff began shortly after noon Friday, and a short time later Nashua officers established a perimeter around the scene. Eventually, SWAT officers responded to the scene. Tear gas was deployed, while many residents in the area were evacuated.

As the day dragged on, many people who had made their way home to evacuated premises found themselves among the many curious spectators wondering how the situation began.

“I never would have imagined anything like this. I walk by that house every day,” Brook Street resident Shelley Serber said.

Serber said she was out and about with a mother and a child with whom she lives when she learned of the scenario. She was hoping it wasn’t a situation involving Elm Street Middle School.

As Serber headed toward her residence, she found that authorities had cordoned off the area.

“There was a policeman basically right out in front of our house, and he told us there was no way we could get back into the house,” she said.

Due to the proximity of Elm Street Middle School, children who normally walk home from class were kept away from the area, as police diverted buses and traffic from the scene. The students remained at the school until their parents or guardians came to pick them up to take them home.

Mathew Plamondon can be reached at 594-1244, or at mplamondon@nashuatelegraph.com, @telegraph_MatP.

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