ROCHESTER, N.H. – An armed man hid in the woods near a Walmart parking lot and opened fire on police helicopters overnight before he was arrested, New Hampshire authorities said Monday.
Christopher Thomas
Rochester police arrested Christopher Thomas, 27, whom they believe is homeless, on four counts of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon. He had been wanted on warrants for criminal threatening and theft.
Thomas was being held without bail and was expected to be arraigned Tuesday. It wasn’t immediately known if he had a lawyer.
Police said they believe Thomas, who was reportedly seen with a rifle in the parking lot Sunday, had been living in the woods behind the Walmart on Farmington Road for a while. He is suspected of thefts at the store and at a nearby supermarket.
Thomas was watched overnight by police helicopters and on the ground with the use of infrared cameras. He fired at the helicopters and at officers, though police said no one was hurt.
Police said their search prompted the lockdown of Walmart and other nearby businesses. The stores were reopened Monday after his arrest.
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