No injuries after gunshot fired in Belmont Friday, suspect in custody

BELMONT — No one was injured after a shot was fired Friday afternoon near the Belknap Marketplace, and one person is in police custody.

The Belmont Police Department received a call about a shot fired from a 9mm handgun in the parking lot in front of JOANN Fabric in Belmont on Friday at 1:38 p.m.

After a quick search, Belmont police found suspect Cody Yale hiding in the trees off Leslie E. Roberts Drive near Belmont Beach and the Belknap Marketplace, where he was taken into custody, according to Police Chief Mark Lewandoski. The scene is now safe and secured. No one was hurt, according to a law enforcement official at the scene.

Yale is being charged with unlawful discharge of a weapon in a public area and is being held in preventative detention, meaning he is held without bail until he goes before a judge on Monday, according to Lewandoski. Yale’s father was found with him, but police determined he was not involved in the incident and arrived at the scene after the shot was fired. Police say Yale's father, who hasn't been charged, is cooperating with them and assisting with the investigation.

Yale's intent for firing the gun is not known at this time.

After Yale was taken into custody, police returned to the parking lot where the bullet was fired to find the casing. In addition to Belmont Police, New Hampshire State Police, the Belknap County Sheriff's Department and Laconia Police responded to the scene. Two canine units were deployed, and officers used a metal detector Friday afternoon in the search for the the casing. One person who lives near Belknap Marketplace came to check out the scene and find out whether the community was safe. Cars were seen passing slowly, trying to see what was going on at the scene. 

After the incident, stores at Belknap Marketplace were closed temporarily and people were evacuated from the mall. Some stores stayed closed for the day, while others reopened after they believed the area was safe.

Stephanie Groleau, licensed esthetician and owner of Skin Therapy, said while she was in between clients, she saw a post about the gunshot fired on Facebook. A couple minutes later, a police officer came to her store and told her to lock herself in and hide. She and her client went to the treatment room in the back, barricaded themselves in and turned off the lights.

“I thought I would never see my kids again,” Groleau said. “I was waiting and hoping I wouldn’t hear any gunshots.”

Groleau and her client were safe, but she was still shaken by the incident.

“I just can’t believe that happened,” she said. “I’ve lived here my entire life... You see it in the news, but you never expect it here.”

Groleau said there isn’t enough security at the mall. Before the incident, she was already on edge, but now she is especially concerned.

“There’s too many good small businesses. We all look out for each other, but... we need more protection in the mall.”

Lewandoski reminded the community that the town is safe at this time.

“There's no threat to the public, right now,” he said. “It's just a matter of collecting evidence and figuring out what we have.”

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the name of the suspect taken into custody on Friday. The suspect's name is Cody Yale.