Northfield, New Hampshire — Megan Whiting, 27, was shot and killed early Monday morning after police responded to a violent domestic disturbance at an apartment on Vine Street.Just after midnight, neighbors called 911 to report Whiting attacking another resident with a fire extinguisher, smashing furniture and breaking a window. The caller’s voice cracked with urgency, begging dispatchers to hurry as shouting and the sounds of chaos echoed in the background.
Officers from the Northfield and Tilton police departments arrived on scene in under six minutes. When they entered the apartment, they say they found Whiting holding a knife and standing near a woman who had already been injured in the disturbance.
Several officers ordered Whiting to drop the knife. According to officials, Whiting did not comply. One officer then fired his weapon, striking her. The wounded woman was safely removed from the apartment, and officers secured the knife before providing aid. Whiting was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy later found Whiting died from multiple gunshot wounds. The medical examiner ruled the manner of death a homicide, noting it was the result of another person’s actions. No responding officers or other civilians were physically injured during the incident.
One of the officers who first responded was wearing a body camera. Authorities are withholding the names of all officers involved until detailed interviews are complete, and they have said no additional information will be released until the officer who fired the shot has been interviewed.
Friends and family have been left trying to make sense of a situation that escalated so quickly. Whiting was remembered by some as a person who struggled but was loved, and whose death now leaves unanswered questions for those who knew her.
