Londonderry Shooting – A tense situation erupted in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, when police responded to reports of gunfire at the Planet Fitness located at 4 Orchard View Drive around 5:25 p.m.
The incident began when a disgruntled employee allegedly discharged a firearm inside the gym, sending staff and patrons scrambling for safety.
Miraculously, no one inside the facility was injured, though the sound of gunfire—described by a teenage witness as a loud pop—prompted workers to leap over the front desk and seek cover in the Black Card Spa room. The Londonderry Police Department arrived swiftly, evacuating the building to ensure no threats remained within.
The suspect, identified only as a male employee by initial accounts, fled the scene before officers could apprehend him, sparking a police pursuit that stretched roughly a mile from the shopping plaza. The chase concluded near Winding Pond Road, a residential area off High Range Road, where officers confronted the fleeing individual.
During the encounter, an officer-involved shooting occurred, leaving the suspect with critical injuries. He was rushed to a nearby hospital—likely Elliot Hospital in Manchester—for emergency surgery, his condition undisclosed as of late Wednesday evening. No officers were harmed, a relief amid the high-stakes exchange.
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office has taken charge of the investigation, a standard protocol for officer-involved shootings, working alongside Londonderry Police to piece together the sequence of events.
The incident began when police were dispatched at 4:45 p.m. to reports of shots fired, with an employee alleging the suspect fired inside before retreating to a break room, then escaping. By 5 p.m., the confrontation on Winding Pond Road unfolded, marked by a heavy emergency response including police, fire, and EMS units. Aerial footage captured a significant law enforcement presence, with roads closed to secure the scene and protect the public.
This violent episode adds a startling chapter to Londonderry, a town of about 27,000 known for its apple orchards and quiet charm, located 43 miles north of Boston. The Planet Fitness, part of a strip mall near Route 102, had been a community staple since opening in 2020, offering a “Judgement Free Zone” now tainted by gunfire.