On a crisp autumn afternoon in Concord, New Hampshire, the tranquility of the state's psychiatric hospital was shattered by sudden violence. It was November 17, 2023, when a security officer named Bradley Haas, a 63-year-old White male, found himself in a fatal confrontation at the very entrance he was tasked to protect. A former police chief of Franklin with 28 years of service, Haas was a man who had dedicated his life to serving and protecting his community, even in his retirement.
That dedication placed him directly in the path of danger when a gunman entered the lobby of New Hampshire Hospital.
The man who strode into the hospital with lethal intent was identified as 33-year-old John Madore. Reports indicate Madore was homeless and had previously been a patient at the facility. On that fateful Friday, he entered the hospital's front lobby and opened fire, his target being the unarmed security officer at his post. Bradley Haas was struck by multiple gunshots and, despite immediate medical attention and being rushed to Concord Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries. His heroic actions in that moment have been credited with saving the lives of others within the hospital, as the violence was contained to the lobby.
The incident was brought to a swift and deadly conclusion by a New Hampshire State Trooper who was assigned to the hospital. The trooper responded immediately to the gunfire and shot and killed John Madore at the scene. In the aftermath, investigators discovered a U-Haul truck in the hospital parking lot linked to Madore, which contained an AR-style rifle, a tactical vest, and several rounds of ammunition. While the immediate threat was neutralized, the motive behind Madore's violent actions remains a subject of ongoing investigation. The loss of Bradley Haas, a man described as a quiet hero, left a profound void in the community he had served for so long.
