Carl Drega

Mass Murderer

Carl Drega and the 1997 Colebrook Shooting Rampage

Background

Carl Drega was a 62-year-old resident of Columbia, New Hampshire, when he carried out a deadly shooting rampage on August 19, 1997. During a series of attacks in Colebrook, New Hampshire, and Bloomfield, Vermont, Drega killed four people and wounded four law enforcement officers. The dead included two New Hampshire state troopers, a district court judge and a local newspaper editor. The violence followed years of increasingly bitter disputes between Drega and local or state officials. Much of the conflict concerned his property along the Connecticut River in Columbia. Drega believed government employees were unfairly interfering with his land, construction work and property rights. Officials, however, maintained that he had violated building, environmental and taxation regulations. Over time, Drega became openly hostile toward public employees and law enforcement officers. He filed complaints, sent angry correspondence and allegedly threatened people connected to his disputes. Those who dealt with him increasingly regarded him as unpredictable and potentially dangerous.

Property Disputes and Growing Hostility

Drega owned property on the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River. During the early 1980s, erosion reportedly damaged part of the riverbank near his home. Drega brought in soil and other material to rebuild the bank, but state officials contended that his work affected protected waterways and may have altered the riverbank without authorization. Additional disputes developed over building codes, taxes and inspections. Drega resented officials entering or examining his property. In 1995, Columbia selectwoman and district court judge Vickie Bunnell accompanied a tax assessor to Drega's land. During that encounter, Drega reportedly fired a gun into the air, causing the officials to leave. Despite the seriousness of the incident, Drega was not imprisoned. He continued preparing for what appeared to be an anticipated confrontation. Authorities later learned that he had acquired a Colt AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, ammunition and body armor. He also installed motion detectors and other warning devices around his property.

The Traffic Stop in Colebrook

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on August 19, 1997, New Hampshire State Police Trooper Scott Phillips encountered Drega in the parking lot of LaPerle's IGA supermarket in Colebrook. Phillips reportedly stopped to address the unsafe condition of Drega's pickup truck, which had extensive rust and vehicle-equipment problems. The encounter rapidly turned violent. Drega retrieved his rifle and opened fire on Phillips. Although wounded, Phillips returned fire and attempted to move away from the parking lot into a nearby field. Drega pursued him and continued shooting, killing the trooper. Trooper Leslie Lord arrived moments later in response to the emergency. Drega fired from a distance before Lord could effectively leave his patrol vehicle or take cover. Lord was struck and killed in or near his cruiser. Drega then took Phillips' state police cruiser and drove away from the supermarket. By stealing the marked vehicle, he was able to travel through the area while armed and initially appeared from a distance to be a police officer responding to the developing emergency. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Vickie Marie Bunnell 45 yr old Female

Carl Drega - Wikipedia