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July 24. 2012 9:50AM

FBI takes over investigation in Manchester standoff


Police cruisers block an intersection near Clay Street in Manchester Tuesday. (PAT GROSSMITH/UNION LEADER)
Linked articles:
Court Documents: Fake cop kidnapping led to Manchester standoff


Tuesday Evening Update:

The FBI has taken charge of the investigation and agents remained in the area through early evening, FBI special agent Greg Comcowicz said.

He said the FBI is conducting a federal investigation with state officials and Manchester and Lawrence, Mass. police.

Comcowicz would not release the name of the man he said state officials took into custody.

"At this time, we are not releasing any further details because of the ongoing nature of what's goning on. But it's not related to terrorism and there is no threat to the community," said Comcowicz, spokesperson for the Boston bureau.

This is a breaking news update, an earlier story follows

MANCHESTER - A more-than-six-hour police standoff on Clay Street ended peacefully Tuesday morning with a man being led out of the building in handcuffs.

The man, identified by residents as “Henry,” who lived in the first-floor apartment of 890 Clay St., was removed just before 11:30 a.m. and placed in a cruiser. He was later transferred to an ambulance and taken from the scene.

Manchester Police Lt. Maureen Tessier said she did not have the name of the man arrested and said, “It's still very much unfolding.” More information will be released later, she said.

She would not say why about 10 FBI agents were on the scene or whether the investigation was a federal one.

The police SWAT team was called out after police were called about 4:30 a.m. by a woman who said an unknown man was knocking at her door requesting she call police.

Police responded and met with the man, who said he was assaulted and held against his will at a nearby address.

The SWAT team and FBI arrived on the scene, and the area encompassing Somerville, Taylor, Cypress and Jewett streets was blocked off to the public.

SWAT team members, one identified with “SWAT Medic” on his shirt, positioned themselves around the building.

“Manchester Police Department, come out with your hands up,” an officer called out on a bull horn several times in both English and Spanish.

About a dozen residents gathered on Clay Street, near Jewett Street, to watch the scene unfold.

Local resident John Bardwell, who lives on Somerville Street, said he went outside around 5:30 this morning to walk his dogs and was met by two Manchester police officers and a SWAT member in his yard, who told him to get back inside.

Bardwell said he saw one man taken away by police earlier in the morning and another man loaded into an ambulance, accompanied by a couple of police officers.

Somerville Street resident Alan Gagnon said he saw a police officer with a rifle around 5 a.m. on Somerville Street. "They pretty much shuffled us inside and said there was an incident going on."

City records indicate the three-family home at 890 Clay St. is owned by the Paul E. Conway Revocable Trust.

Union Leader's KATHRYN MARCHOCKI contributed to this report

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