KITTERY, Maine — Three Troy, New Hampshire residents, including an 8-year-old child, have been identified by Maine and New Hampshire authorities after the shooting death of a woman at home in Troy on Thursday, followed by the officer-involved shooting death of her husband on the high-level Piscataqua River Bridge on Interstate 95.
Trent Weston, who was 37, is believed by authorities to have murdered his wife, Brittany Weston, 37, at their apartment in Troy on Thursday morning, and to have also murdered their son, Benson Weston, 8. The autopsy for Brittany Weston was conducted by the New Hampshire medical examiner and determined she died after suffering multiple gunshot wounds to the head in a homicide, according to authorities.
Trent Weston was then killed by police hours later on the I-95 high-level bridge connecting Portsmouth, New Hampshire to Kittery, Maine, after negotiations with police, according to authorities. Benson Weston was found deceased in the car driven by his father, police said. Maine’s medical examiner conducted their autopsies.
The identities of the family members and their causes of death were revealed Friday afternoon by New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella and by Maine State Police spokesperson Shannon Moss in separate releases.
“At this time, all evidence indicates that Mr. Weston is responsible for the deaths of both Brittany and Benson Weston,” Formella’s announcement states. “Further information will be provided if and when it becomes available while protecting the integrity of the investigation.”
Agencies in both states are continuing to investigate the deaths and the officer-involved shooting.
Police were called to a Troy apartment around 3 a.m. Thursday after Trent Weston called to report he shot his wife, per Formella. Upon arrival, police found a deceased woman inside, later identified as Brittany Weston, whose autopsy was conducted Friday by New Hampshire’s associate medical examiner.
Brittany Weston’s manner of death was determined to be homicide by multiple gunshot wounds to the head, according to the attorney general.
Maine’s medical examiner conducted autopsies on Benson and Trent Weston following the critical incident on the bridge Thursday, per Maine State Police. Both were determined to have died of multiple gunshot wounds, with the 8-year-old suspected to have been shot and killed by his father.
The Westons’ deaths remains under investigation by state police in Maine and New Hampshire, while the officer-involved shooting is being reviewed by the Maine Attorney General’s Office.
The incident led to the closure of the entire bridge, northbound and southbound, for several hours as investigators sealed off the scene. Residents, commuters and Labor Day weekend visitors were caught in hours of traffic around the neighboring municipalities after being diverted to the Memorial Bridge and the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge.
Authorities previously held a joint press conference at the Kittery Police Department Thursday afternoon to share details of the multi-state incidents and police response.
Trent Weston was fatally wounded when Maine State Police Trooper Craig Nilsen and two New Hampshire troopers fired their weapons at him, according to authorities. His body then fell off the high-level bridge down to the river below, which was later recovered by police with the assistance of the Kittery harbormaster.
All the troopers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave in abidance with standard protocol, pending the investigation into their use of deadly force.
The U.S. Coast Guard additionally responded to the hours-long incident Thursday.
The New Hampshire Community Behavioral Health Association, made up of 10 mental health centers in the state, including the Seacoast Mental Health Center, reacted to the deaths of the victims on Thursday.
The organization’s statement was shared by Michael Wilson, development director for the Seacoast Mental Health Center.
“We are profoundly saddened by reports today of shootings in Troy and Portsmouth, and our hearts go out to the victims’ families and to first responders,” the statement said in part. “We don’t have enough information at this time to know whether mental health issues were a factor in this incident. We will await more info from New Hampshire and Maine law enforcement.”
“Unfortunately, events like this have become more common than anyone would like. The community mental health centers are ready to assist and provide access to care for those who might need help. If anyone in the community requires mental health assistance or counseling, we are here for you,” the statement added. “You can find a mental health center closest to you by searching on www.nhcbha.org.”
This story will be updated.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: I-95 bridge, Troy, NH deaths: Husband killed wife, son, officials say
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