As investigators work to determine what caused a former employee to open fire inside a restaurant at a Nashua, New Hampshire country club on Saturday, killing one person and wounding two others, the state’s attorney general says the quick actions of patrons prevented what could’ve been a mass shooting.
Hunter Nadeau, 23, walked into Sky Meadow Country Club Saturday night as a wedding was unfolding in an adjacent room and opened fire, killing 59-year-old Robert DeCesare and wounding two others before fleeing the restaurant and being detained, according to police. He is now facing a second-degree murder charge.
Attorney General John Formella said during an update Sunday, “Thanks to the quick action of law enforcement and some quick and selfless actions of patrons in the restaurant this ended up being a fairly contained event. It lasted under a minute and it was not near as tragic as it could have been.”
Eyewitnesses say Nadeau shouted several phrases inside the club, including Free Palestine, but Formella says the investigation has not suggested the shooting was motivated by hate.
“Mr. Nadeau made a number of statements during the event and we don’t have any evidence at this time that would indicate that Mr. Nadeau was motivated by a hate-based motivation,” he said.
DeCesare’s mother says her son was having dinner with his wife and daughter when the bullets started flying. She said DeCesare lunged at the shooter to protect his family.
“Rob’s wife and other daughter were on the other side of the table. Rob turned around and went at him and was shot very close,” she said.
His wife and daughter managed to escape and then spent four hours battling conflicting information, waiting for updates on Rob and whether he survived his wounds.
DeCesare, who loved pickleball and the Patriots, leaves behind a wife and three children. His daughter is set to be married in November.
“He was the cog in the family and he just made everything fun,” she said.
Nadeau is set to face a judge on Monday. He is expected to face additional charges in connection with the other two victims.
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