MANCHESTER, N.H. (WHDH) — Police said 54-year-old Muni Savyon shot and killed his nine-year-old son, Joshua Savyon, during a supervised visit before he turned the gun on himself. The shooting happened at the YWCA, an organization that helps struggling families mend relationships.
The attorney general's office said Savyon had made threats to harm his son in the past. However there was a counselor in the room observing, in addition to surveillance video. The visit was going well, when Savyon suddenly pulled out a gun and shot his son several times before he turned the gun on himself.
Manchester police responded with their SWAT team, because they believed there could have been an active shooter inside the building. Everyone was evacuated and no one else was injured.
Rabbi Levi Krinsky arrived on the scene and said Savyon’s friend had received an email from the father early Sunday morning which said he was going to do this.
“Something to the effect that ‘I’m going to do this and by the time you might read this email it would be too late.’ Not sure how he pulled that off,” Rabbi Krinsky said.
“That’s something that Manchester PD has obtained and they will review that and also speak with the individual who received that email,” said Jeff Strelzin, Senior Assistant Attorney General.
Authorities said Savyon was locked in a bitter custody battle with the boy's mother.
“I think there is a lot of sadness and anger on the part of everyone involved that a father would take his son's life for no other reason other than to apparently spite his mother,” Strelzin said.
The YWCA used to have a police officer or would hire security, but no longer do that because of budget cuts. They also check some people with a handheld metal detector but Savyon was not checked.