Flash bang and tear gas convince armed man to surrender after 7-hour Dover standoff

By Kimberley Haas
Union Leader Correspondent
August 25. 2017 3:28PM
crowded Dover neighborhood.">

Richard "Ricky" Nelson, 35, surrenders to police Friday after a lengthy standoff in a crowded Dover neighborhood. (KIMBERLEY HAAS/Union Leader Correspondent)

arresting Richard Nelson, who allegedly stole a semi-automatic rifle and broke into an apartment in Dover, police began to regroup and focus their efforts on investigating the scene.">

After arresting Richard Nelson, who allegedly stole a semi-automatic rifle and broke into an apartment in Dover, police began to regroup and focus their efforts on investigating the scene. (KIMBERLEY HAAS/Union Leader Correspondent)

DOVER – Police took a 35-year-old armed homeless man into custody Friday after a 7-hour standoff at Mineral Park.

Richard Nelson, 35, surrendered to a Dover police officer about noon. According to Police Chief Anthony Colarusso, tear gas and other tactical procedures - including a flash grenade - were used to convince Nelson to leave the apartment at 73 Pleasant View Circle.

Nelson, who has no current address but had been staying in Dover, was charged with burglary, theft of a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm.

Colarusso briefed the press shortly after Nelson’s arrest.

"He is at the Dover police headquarters right now. We’re going to have him checked out by Fire and Rescue paramedics to make sure he’s okay and right now we’re just clearing the scene of the tactical operation and it’s now turning into an investigative operation where our detectives will come in and handle the scene from here," Colarusso said.

Nelson was uninjured in the incident, as were all the police officers and firefighters who responded, Colarusso said.

"The suspect does have some contamination from tear gas," the chief said.

Officers also were working to clear tear gas from the apartment where Nelson had holed up.

Mineral Park residents who were evacuated Friday morning were allowed to return home soon after the arrest was made. A number of children had been outside for hours because they needed to leave their apartments and school is not yet in session.

Colarusso said that over the course of the morning, they were able to make phone contact with Nelson inside the apartment, and that he would refuse to come out and then hang up.

"We were using a combination of negotiations and tear gas to try to force him into a decision to come out," Colarusso said. "It was all about everybody’s safety, including Mr. Nelson’s safety."

The incident started at about 5 a.m., when patrol officers responded to a report of a stolen AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. Colarusso said he does not know if the weapon was loaded.

Nelson does not live at 73 Pleasant View Circle, police believe he broke into the building and that he had access to all four apartment units through a common basement area.

Colarusso said the semi-automatic rifle was stolen from somebody in the neighborhood and authorities were relieved it wasn’t used and noone was injured.

"This is what we train for and it’s always the goal to end things peacefully," Colarusso said.

Parents on the scene were nervous throughout the morning. Officials at the Dover Housing Authority have been working hard clean up the neighborhood, they said.

Kristina Graper was outside with her five-year-old, Bryson. She called the situation a "nightmare."

"We just woke up to this. All I could think is ‘Are my kids safe?’ I had all these questions going through my mind," Graper said. "This is traumatizing to see something like this around here."

Nelson does have a criminal past, Colarusso said. He is expected to be arraigned Monday at Strafford County Superior Court.

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