No Charges for NH Officers Who Killed Armed Man in Belmont Who Had Said He Would Kill His Sister

There will be no charges against three Belmont, New Hampshire, police officers who shot and killed a man last month.

Tuesday, the state attorney general's office justified the use of deadly force and laid out a disturbing timeline leading up to the shooting.

Belmont police had been searching for the 45-year-old man on the night of June 15. They finally caught up with him as he pulled over near 98 South Road. Michael Sheehan got out of his car with a 9 mm handgun, ignored commands to drop it, put the weapon to his chin and started walking toward police, authorities said.

That's when three Belmont officers fired 13 rounds. Sheehan's weapon was recovered next to his body.

"The handgun was loaded with 11 bullets and one in the chamber, which meant it was ready to fire," Assistant Attorney General Jesse O'Neill said.

The subsequent investigation uncovered a troubling timeline.

On the morning of the shooting, Sheehan and his sister got into a fight about politics, authorities said.

He allegedly put a gun to her head and then left her house.

Later that day, Sheehan texted his girlfriend, writing in part, "Sorry hun, but this is me, this is what I do. I'm going to kill my sister and anyone else who gets in my way."

Meanwhile, Sheehan's sister feared the worst, so she called police and also texted her mom.

She wrote, in part, "Well, apparently he's coming here to kill me. Tell my girls I love them."

At that point there was a be-on-the-lookout alert out for Sheehan driving that silver SUV.

"We tried to do everything we could to find him, and we did," Belmont Police Chief Mark Lewandowski said.

"I think his intentions were clear that night," Lewandowski said.

The man, described by family as a "loose cannon" with a hit list, had threatened suicide-by-cop before, and authorities say on June 15 he made his final attempt.

"No officer wants to use deadly force, but they had no choice," Lewandowski said. "I think they did an exceptional job."

There will be no charges filed.

The three officers involved will be back on duty starting Wednesday.