Hunter Nadeau, the 24-year-old man arrested in connection with the deadly September shooting at a country club in Nashua, initially intended to take his own life but chose to “punish the wealthy” beforehand, court records show.
Nadeau, a former employee of Sky Meadow Country Club, entered the club’s on-site restaurant on the evening of Sept. 20 and opened fire. The shooting killed a 59-year-old man who was dining with his wife and daughter and injured several others.
According to his arrest warrant, which was unsealed this week, Nadeau had been living with his aunt in Nashua when he suddenly felt compelled to harm himself. He left the home on foot, carrying a gun, ammunition and a knife.
Nadeau, however, told a detective with the Nashua Police Department that he first decided to “punish the wealthy because they were not helping the poor.”
He stated he was “tired of the elites taking all the money” and chose the country club because he had previously worked there and knew that one “had to have money to have a membership there.”
Court documents also show that Nadeau intentionally avoided a nearby wedding reception because he did not want to target “civilians.”
Nadeau opened fire as soon as he entered the restaurant, Prime Steakhouse. His first shot struck Steve Burtman, an employee at the front desk, in the face.
He then fired at restaurant patrons until someone intervened, attacking him, and he retreated through the steakhouse doors. Robert Steven DeCesare, one of the restaurant patrons, died during the gunfire.
When police made contact with Nadeau, he was bleeding from self-inflicted “incised” wounds and told officers he was a “bad guy,” according to court records.
Authorities said he injured himself on the golf course after discarding his backpack in the woods.
Nadeau has been indicted on multiple charges, including purposeful first-degree murder, second-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder and two counts of first degree assault.