Officer shoots dead Gilford teenager armed with knife

A police officer shot a 17-year-old boy armed with a knife in Gilford, New Hampshire, on Sunday night.

The officers responded to a call reporting a “mental person” at 9:52 p.m. on Sunday, January 1. New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella said the officers encountered a teenager armed with a knife inside a house at 5 Varney Point Road.

According to the reports, one officer fired a stun gun, and another fired his weapon at the boy. The officials identified the boy as Mischa Fay, the son of Merrill Fay, the owner of Fay’s Boat Yard in Gilford. He was sent to the local hospital but did not survive.

The officials said there was no one else injured in the incident.

Ongoing investigation

On Tuesday at Concord Hospital in New Hampshire, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jennie V. Duval conducted an autopsy on Fay. She determined a single gunshot was the cause of death, while the manner of death was ruled homicide.

Officials said a full autopsy would be important in the investigation, and it could take months to provide a full autopsy report.

Aside from a full autopsy report, officer interviews and videos from body cameras will also be important in the investigation. Formella said the initial responding officers did not have body cameras.

However, New Hampshire Senior Assistant Attorney General Ben Agati said the two officers directly involved in Fay’s death wore body cameras at the time of the incident.

“There were body cameras that were worn by both of the officers at the time of the event,” Agati said. “We do have that footage and we are in the process of reviewing that right now.”

Formella said the names of the officers responsible for Fay’s death are being withheld as they await the conclusion of formal interviews. The incident is currently under active investigation. The officials will release further details when all interviews with the officers are complete.

“I anticipate in a couple of weeks, hopefully, maybe one week once those interviews are completed, we’ll be able to disclose the identity of the officers,” Agati said.