ALTON, N.H. (WHDH) - An 11-year-old boy is facing murder charges in connection with a shooting in Alton, New Hampshire on Friday that left two people dead, officials said.
Officers responding to a reported incident at the Valley Road farmhouse found 50-year-old Lizette Eckert dead, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.
James Eckert, 48, was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died of his injuries.
In a news conference Friday night, officials confirmed that an 11-year-old boy was taken into custody two hours later on charges of murder and attempted murder. His name has not been released.
An autopsy confirmed Lizette Eckert was killed by a single gunshot wound to the head.
An autopsy for James Eckert is scheduled for Monday.
The deadly incident left nearby residents rattled.
“What I heard here was sirens just whistling by,” said resident Don Fields. “They don’t use their sirens in this town unless it’s a fire or something like that, and they just kept flooding down the road.”
Tracy Long also witnessed the stream of vehicles.
“I saw all the ambulances and police and thought it was an accident and realized shortly thereafter when police were going by that it was much more serious,” she said.
Neighbors said police went door-to-door during the response, telling people to stay inside.
Long described the community as a “sleepy town.”
“Your average everyday small community,” she said. “This isn’t something we expect.”
The critical incident in Alton, NH has come to a conclusion. Please refer to @NH_DOJ for further information.
Thank you to all involved. #NHSP
— New Hampshire State Police (@NH_StatePolice) March 15, 2019
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