‘Free Palestine’: Gunman Opens Fire At New Hampshire Wedding; One Killed, Many Injured

Last Updated:September 21, 2025, 20:24 IST

The shooting took place at the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua as guests were celebrating the ceremony

Witness recounts shooter yelling ‘free Palestine’ while targeting someone at the ceremony | Image: AP

A gunman shouting “Free Palestine” opened fire at a wedding in New Hampshire on Saturday, killing one person and injuring two others, authorities confirmed.

The shooting took place at the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua as guests were celebrating the ceremony.

Witness Tom Bartelson of Pepperell, Massachusetts, whose nephew was the groom, said he heard the shooter shout, “the children are safe” while targeting a victim.

Describing the horrific moment, he said, “We heard about six shots, and everyone ducked for cover. People dropped to the ground and tried to escape. We were just trying to keep family members safe.”

Authorities identified 23-year-old Hunter Nadeau as the suspect.

The shooting claimed the life of 59-year-old Robert Steven DeCesare.

Nadeau has been charged with second-degree murder, though investigators say there appears to be no known connection between him and the victim.

Additional charges are expected related to the other victims, according to New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella and Nashua Police Chief Kevin Rourke.

Nadeau is scheduled for arraignment in state court in Nashua on Monday.

Initially, law enforcement considered the possibility of multiple shooters, but later confirmed only one was involved.

Details on the conditions of the two injured victims have not yet been released.

The shooting unfolded just as the bride and groom were preparing to dance.

Eyewitness Emily Ernst, who saw the gunman dressed in black with a mask, recalled, “We just saw him raise the gun and then we ran. I ran through the kitchen for my life.”

DeCesare’s mother, Evie O’Rourke of Salem, New Hampshire, described the heartbreak of witnessing the aftermath: “He went down. My daughter-in-law and granddaughter escaped. They saw my son go down and saw blood.”

US Representative Maggie Hassan, a New Hampshire Democrat, said she was monitoring the situation closely and extended her condolences to the victims, their families, and the community.

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