“You’d be hard pressed to find a man more loved, not only by his family but by his many groups of friends from golf, poker, and pickleball,” his wife, Charlene DeCesare, said in a statement to ABC News.
“I cannot say enough how grateful I am for the outpouring of support from our friends and community,” according to media reports.
The alleged shooter, 23-year-old Hunter Nadeau, waived a formal arraignment and made a brief court appearance via video conference on Monday in Ninth District Court in Nashua, where a probable cause hearing was set for Oct. 1.
Nadeau, who is charged with second degree murder, did not show emotion on video screen and spoke only when spoken to by the judge. He said “OK” when the judge said they would set a probable cause hearing, and he responded in the affirmative when the judge asked if Nadeau had spoken with counsel.
Additional charges are expected in connection with two other shooting victims who were seriously injured but expected to survive, officials said.
Officials said there is no known connection between DeCesare and Nadeau, who formerly worked for the country club about a year ago.
The shooting occurred at the country club Saturday night, where police say Nadeau entered and fired shots at a host near the restaurant, then opened fire inside the steakhouse.
Nadeau shouted several statements — including “Free Palestine” — before opening fire, but officials said there is currently no evidence his remarks were connected to his motive.
“At this point, the evidence leads us to believe that it is more likely that Mr. Nadeau was simply trying to make a number of statements to create chaos in the moment,” New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella said at a press conference Sunday. “We don’t have any evidence to indicate that this was a hate-based act.”
Formella said two individuals “put aside care for their own safety and worked to intervene, stop the shooter, to keep this a much more contained event than it may otherwise have been.”
Rob Parsons, the owner of Sky Meadow, called DeCesare a “hero” in a statement that also described the alleged shooter as a “ coward who will be held to account for what he did.”
He did not provide any information on whether Nadeau had previously worked at Sky Meadow.
In the statement released by a public relations firm, Parsons wrote of his personal response to the fatal shooting, saying it left him heartbroken for its impact on his employees, the two other people who were wounded, and the DeCesare family in particular.
“To the DeCesare family, there are no words to express the pain and sorrow you — and our community — are feeling over Robert’s murder. He is a hero,” Parsons said in the statement.”To our very own employee and our guest who were shot and are recovering, and to the countless others impacted, we’re here for you and your families. Always.”
Parsons said the country club and the city where it’s located are “safe, tight-knit communities, built on fellowship, compassion, and resilience…The safety, security, and wellbeing of our members, guests, and staff are – and will always remain – our highest priority. We will not let the cowardly acts of this perpetrator define us.”
The club has received “thousands of messages of support we have received since this horrific incident began unfolding,” he said.
He also expressed his thanks to first responders and law enforcement for their fast response to the scene, the quality of medical care the victims received, and the speed with which Nadeau was taken into custody.
DeCesare had recently moved from Salem with his wife of 30 years to a home within the Sky Meadows neighborhood.
“My dad is our hero, and he protected us,” his daughter, Makayla DeCesare, told the Globe via Facebook Sunday.
DeCesare’s mother, Evie O’Rourke, said she and her husband, Kevin, sped to Nashua.
“We sat there for four hours, and no one told us anything; it was so poorly managed,” she said. “Even the Red Cross told us someone had been airlifted. We kept saying, ‘Where is he?’ and my daughter-in-law couldn’t get back inside. Finally, someone told us at the police station he was killed.”
She wasn’t surprised her son, a father of three, confronted the shooter.
“After the first guy was shot, he saw him headed towards him and got out of his chair, put his hands up,” she said.
An autopsy will be conducted Monday, Formella said.
A candlelight vigil was held in front of Nashua City Hall Sunday night that was attended by US Rep. Maggie Goodlander, WMUR-TV reported.
DeCesare’s cousin Becca O’Rourke told the Globe she’s still in shock.
“Their kids are in college. They had a beautiful house on the lake in Salem and just downsized to a new home in Nashua,” said Becca O’Rourke, 27. “They were just having dinner when the person came in and shot them up, and my cousin lost his life trying to protect his family, and I don’t expect anything less from him.”
O’Rourke said she can’t see a connection as to why this happened.
“Whoever did this has no idea the ripple effect that they’ve caused,” said O’Rourke, from nearby Chelmsford, N.H. “My Aunt Evie is almost 80 years old, and she has to bury her son. It’s just not OK. Gun violence is out of control, and somebody lost their life for no reason.”
One of the gunshot victims was an employee of the restaurant, while the other was a patron, Formella said at the press conference on Sunday. The employee was airlifted to Mass General Hospital and is in critical but stable condition.
Four other victims, all restaurant patrons, sustained non-gunshot injuries that are not life-threatening, officials said. It’s possible that other individuals were hurt while trying to exit the country club, Formella said. Other than DeCesare, none of the victims’ identities have been released.
Nashua Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Michael Curran confirmed to the Globe Sunday that rescue teams dispatched to the club at 7:20 p.m. Saturday and two victims were taken to the Spit Brook Road fire station in Nashua following the shooting. Curran said that one of the victims transported to the medical center was undergoing treatment for a gunshot wound to the face. The other victim, he said, was being treated for a laceration to the hand.
Law enforcement officers were able to find and arrest Nadeau within 30 minutes of the shooting, said Nashua Police Chief Kevin Rourke at the press conference Sunday.
Officials confirmed Nadeau used a handgun, but did not disclose if the weapon was still in his possession, if it was registered or licensed to him.
Material from previous Globe reports was used in the story.
John R. Ellement can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @JREbosglobe. Steven Porter can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @reporterporter. Nick Stoico can be reached at [email protected].
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