Officers involved in fatal shooting of city man identified

Joseph Russell (Rochester Police photo)

CONCORD - The state Attorney Generals Office on Friday identified the two New Hampshire State Troopers who discharged weapons during a shooting incident on March 8 in Rochester that resulted in the death of Joseph Russell, 36, of Wildflower Lane, Rochester.
According to the press release, Sgt. Gary Wood and Trooper Jacob Hunt discharged their firearms during the incident.
It is anticipated that the report regarding the incident and whether the officers' use of deadly force was justified will be released once a formal investigation is completed.
Russell died during a skirmish with Rochester and State Police when a K9 took him him to the ground and he flashed a gun, according to a statement from the Attorney Generals Office sent the day after the shooting.
An autopsy determined that Russell died of multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death was homicide, which is defined as the killing of one person by another.
Rochester Police have indicated that prior to Friday they were seeking to locate and question Russell about several car thefts that had occurred earlier in the week in Lebanon, Maine, and Rochester.
Earlier on March 8 they learned he had been spotted driving in Rochester and intercepted his vehicle on Route 16 in the area of Gooseberry Circle, where he abandoned the vehicle he was driving and fled from police on foot into the Gooseberry Circle residential area.
Rochester and New Hampshire State Police entered the neighborhood and found Russell walking between residences, according to a statement from the state's Dept. of Safety.
When Russell spotted law enforcement, he fled again, prompting a law enforcement pursuit during which several verbal commands to surrender were issued.
When he did not comply, a State Police Trooper released their K-9 partner to subdue Russell. When the K-9 brought Russell to the ground, law enforcement reported seeing Russell draw a firearm, and two troopers fired at Russell, who died at the scene.
Police reportedly interviewed several possible witnesses and as a result said they believed Russell to be armed and dangerous.
In 2011 Russell was charged in the knifepoint robbery at George and Ed's Convenience Store in Rochester.
In 2016 her was arrested in Portsmouth on a heroin possession charge and in Sanford, Maine, in an armed robbery.
In 2017 Russell was indicted by a York (Maine) County grand jury for being a felon in possession.