A man walked into the critical care unit of Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover, N.H., early this morning and shot and killed his wife before fatally shooting himself, New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph A. Foster told Boston Globe reporters.
"The two deaths appear to be the result of a murder-suicide," Mr. Foster said. Authorities said the names of the couple would not be released until the couple's next of kin are formally notified.
Dover police responded to reports of a shooting inside the hospital at 6:03 a.m. and discovered the deceased husband and wife upon arriving in a room in the critical care unit.
Gregory Walker, president of the hospital, said hospital policy prohibits anyone from bringing firearms into the facility. He declined to answer why or how long the woman had been hospitalized because of federal patient privacy laws and the homicide investigation. Mr. Walker called the shooting a "very sad" incident and said counselors were on hand for patients and staff to help them deal with any emotional trauma they may be experiencing.
According to the report, a Dover man posted plans on Facebook to kill his wife to end her life-long struggle with her own mental health, though Assistant Attorney General Jay McCormack would not confirm if the shooter was the same man.