Two fatal police shootings in New England spark fresh scrutiny over use of force

Two recent fatal shootings by police in New England have renewed scrutiny of officer-involved incidents. In Boston’s Fenway neighbourhood, a man armed with a sword was killed after attacking first responders. Days earlier, a woman wielding a knife was fatally shot in Northfield, New Hampshire, following a domestic disturbance call. Both cases highlight ongoing concerns about police use of force, particularly in mental health crises. On a recent evening in Boston, officers responded to an assault in the Fenway area. The suspect, armed with a sword, allegedly lunged at first responders before being fatally shot. The incident remains under investigation by local authorities.

Earlier in April, New Hampshire State Police were called to a domestic disturbance in Northfield. A 32-year-old woman, reportedly holding a knife, was shot and killed by officers at the scene. The state’s Attorney General’s office, which tracks all police shootings—fatal or non-fatal—recorded three such incidents in 2026 so far, with nine each in the previous two years. In Raymond, New Hampshire, a 38-year-old man exchanged gunfire with police before taking his own life. His brother later revealed a long history of mental health struggles. Research suggests as many as one in five police calls now involve a mental health crisis. A study by Injury Control Researcher Sam Fischer found that 12 percent of fatal police shootings in the U.S. occurred during behavioural health responses. Massachusetts, unlike New Hampshire, does not maintain a centralised database of officer-involved shootings. Instead, the Harvard Injury Control Research Center relies on the Washington Post’s tracking system, which reported two fatal shootings in the state in 2024, and five each in 2023 and 2022. Nationally, the FBI collects similar data but depends on voluntary reporting from local departments. Dr. David Hemenway, Director of the Injury Control Research Center, has identified a link between firearm availability and the frequency of police shootings. His findings suggest that regions with higher gun ownership rates tend to see more deadly encounters between officers and civilians.

The two recent deaths bring renewed focus to how police handle armed confrontations and mental health emergencies. With tracking methods varying by state, researchers continue to rely on external databases to assess trends. Authorities in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire are reviewing the latest incidents as part of broader efforts to address use-of-force policies.