Five arrested after standoff
Battering ram used to enter home; drug crimes alleged
SOMERSWORTH — Five people were arrested, and police were looking for a sixth, in connection with a standoff at 219 Green Street that lasted for more than 19 hours Thursday into Friday.
While police disclosed the arrests on Friday evening, no other details were released about the incident.
"There's a drug nexus to it," Police Chief David Kretschmar said on Friday morning.
Police arrested Samantha J. Beyer-Morele, 27, on a probation/parole warrant and Brett Turgeon, 29, for violating probation/parole. Both reside at 219 Green Street, Apt. B.
Others arrested were Brianna Y. Cruz, 19, of 108 Franklin St., Apt. C, in Somersworth, who was charged with possession of a controlled drug (methamphetamine), and Aiyla M. Griffin, 25, of 219 Green St., Apt. B, on a drug possession charge and bench warrant for violation of probation/parole, according to police. Police also said a transient named Christopher Beckwith, 39, was also arrested and accused of absconding from drug court.
Police said they are also looking to question Robert Twombly, 39, in connection with the standoff. Police did not say if Twombly was a tenant of the 219 Green Street building.
The standoff included the use of a New Hampshire State Police battering ram attached to a Bearcat, and several heavily armed and armored law enforcement officers wearing gas masks. A small bomb-disposal robot was also on the scene.
At about 12:22 p.m. on Friday a K9 unit and about seven members of the Seacoast Emergency Response Team entered the residence. Three of them came out later without a suspect. Police pushed in a door at the residence with the battering ram, which was put in place at about 11:42 a.m. and was facing the front door of the residence.
Starting late Thursday night, periodic loud pops could be heard coming from the residence. The pops were reportedly heard as far away as downtown Rollinsford. Kretschmar did not elaborate on the purpose of the pops.
“I’m not going to comment on any tactical things or anything that’s going on. There’s things that we need to do to try to end this in a safe manner for us and the person or persons we’re looking for,” Kretschmar said.
A neighbor said he saw two people arrested Thursday afternoon at around 3 p.m. near where the standoff took place. He said he was traveling north on Green Street toward Somersworth when he saw police lead people in handcuffs into a cruiser. He also saw multiple cruisers there along with some other plainclothes officers.
Idlehurst Elementary School, which is about a half a mile away from the standoff, was on a soft lockdown. Principal Eris Hersey said the school operated normally with teachers and students in the classrooms, but doors were locked and shades were drawn.
Throughout the morning, police could be heard intermittently using loudspeakers or bull horns to attempt communication with someone inside the dwelling, trying to talk to a person named "Robert."
“Robert, this is the State Police. We have a warrant for your arrest. Please come out now and there will be no harm done to you,” said police over an amplification device.
A police sharpshooter in camouflage could be seen on the ground near the scene and looking through the scope of a rifle.
At 12:54 p.m., approximately eight armed and armored law enforcement agents wearing gas masks entered the Bearcat that had been parked on the front lawn. A battering ram was attached to the front of the Bearcat.
The armed officers entered and withdrew from the house several times over the over the next two hours.
The street reopened at 3:30 p.m.