AG's report sheds light on fatal father-son confrontation from December

Scene of the shooting on Three Rivers Road in Dover on Dec. 10. (Union Leader photo)

©CONCORD, N.H. The Attorney General's report released late this week confirms that a Dover man who fatally shot his son in December did so in self-defense.

The report further stated that Brenton Davis, 55, who died from a single shotgun wound, had a history of mental illness and multiple narcotic drugs in his system when he initiated the conflict by shooting his father five times the morning of Dec. 10.

The tragic incident unfolded when police responded to a 911 call around 9 a.m., with 76-year-old John Davis telling police his son had shot him and he had shot his son.

A heavy police presence set up a perimeter at 92 Three Rivers Farm Road, and found John Davis, 76, injured, with several gunshot wounds. Police later entered the Davis home at 92 Three Rivers Road and found the younger Davis dead, a shotgun blast to his face.

According to the AG's report, "Brenton Davis shot John Davis several times with a revolver that Brenton took from John's bedroom. John then armed himself with a shotgun and shot Brenton once under the belief that Brenton was going to kill him. Police recovered the revolver that Brenton Davis used to shoot John Davis near Brenton's body and recovered the shotgun that John used from where he left it for the police while calling 911."

Investigators conducted several interviews with neighbors and acquaintance of the two Davis', but John Davis was the sole eyewitness.

In his interview with police he indicated that he noticed his .22 revolver was missing the morning of Dec. 10 and confronted his son, who denied he'd taken it.

Just a little while later while John Davis was getting dressed in his bedroom, the AG report notes the "While John Davis was getting dressed in his bedroom, Brenton Davis came to the bedroom doorway armed with the revolver that John had noticed was missing. Brenton fired at John several times from just feet away striking him multiple times. John also heard Brenton say words to the effect of "die, you bastard". Brenton then returned to the living room."

Then, even as he bled from five gunshot wounds, John Davis managed to retrieve a shotgun, entered the livingroom where Brenton Davis was sitting on a futon and fired a single shot, the report noted. He then grabbed a phone, left the house and called 911.

Toxicology tests on Brenton Davis showed he had Isopropanol, Methadone, Methadone metabolites and various antidepressants in his blood.

Investigators also found notes that revealed suicidal tendencies in a bag next to Brenton Davis' body.

After an analysis of the cirumstances and evidence, the report noted that "based on all of Brenton Davis's conduct, specifically his potentially deadly actions against John Davis, a reasonable person in John Davis's position could have concluded that Brenton Davis was about to use additional unlawful, deadly force against him."

Its conclusion was that the use of deadly force was justified.

John Davis survived and continues to recuperate from his wounds.