‘Not here.’ Neighbors express shock, sadness after New Hampshire Hospital shooting

New Hampshire Public Radio | By Gabriela Lozada, Report for America Corps Member

Published November 20, 2023 at 6:00 AM EST

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Kathy Whitmore works at a local laundromat a few blocks from New Hampshire Hospital. She has put up a wall with lost socks from people in her community. It is a symbol of her appreciation to the people who she sees every week. She fears the small, mellow town she calls home changed last week.

New Hampshire Hospital, the state psychiatric facility where a gunman fatally shot a security guard Friday afternoon, is located on a sprawling campus of government buildings in the heart of the capital city.

It’s also on bordered by a densely populated residential neighborhood where, over the weekend, many were processing the tragedy that just unfolded in their backyard.

NHPR’s Gaby Lozada caught up with folks in the area on Sunday. Click "Listen" on the player above to hear their reflections.

A sign at the entrance of an organization that serves children right in front of New Hampshire Hospital. Jason Armstrong, who works at a church nearby, says his employer had a security assessment just this past week. "Our prayers are definitely with the victims and the family members and all those who work at the hospital," he said. "We're very grateful for their ministry to our community."

Sarah Stewart uses her car to express her political views. She says the one about banning assault weapons is her favorite. — Sarah Stewart lives less than a mile from the hospital. She says her mind was racing when she saw emergency vehicles and other first responders rushing through the area on Friday. She says she uses her car to express her political views, and the one about banning assault weapons is her favorite.