A police officer was fatally shot after responding to a domestic dispute report at a New Hampshire house just before a fire and thunderous explosion destroyed the residence Monday afternoon, officials said.
Officer Stephen Arkell, 48, entered the Brentwood, N.H., home at 4 p.m., Attorney General Joseph Foster said at a news conference Monday evening. A second officer arrived at the scene and entered the home, but was quickly driven out by gunfire, according to Foster.
The house was soon engulfed in flames and later exploded. The suspected shooter, Michael Nolan, 47, is believed to have died in the fire or explosion. The blaze has since been extinguished. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire or explosion.
Arkell was a part-time officer who had two daughters in their teens, Brentwood Police Chief Wayne Robinson said at a news conference.