Standoff suspect taken into custody peacefully, faces arraignment today

Christopher L. Thomas (Rochester Police photo)

ROCHESTER - The man whose standoff with police closed both The Ridge and Walmart for almost 24 hours was taken into custody on Monday morning after four SWAT teams and Rochester Police established a perimeter around his makeshift encampment in the woods and slowly closed in.

Christopher L. Thomas, 27, surrendered without incident around 10:20 a.m., as members of the SWAT teams approached him. No injuries were reported, and The Ridge and Walmart both opened for business immediately. Hunters were also allowed back into the woods around Ten Rod Road.

Thomas had sparked the standoff when Walmart employees noticed him walking with a rifle in the back corner of the store's parking lot.

Rochester Police Capt. Thomas (no relation) said on Monday they have been trying to apprehend and arrest Christopher Thomas since last March, when he was charged with criminal threatening of a neighbor while he formerly lived at the nearby Northgate Apartments.

Police had suspected for some time now that he was living in the woods behind Walmart. Rochester Police Capt. Thomas said since September Christopher Thomas had allegedly shoplifted several times from Walmart before fleeing on foot back into the woods.

On Sunday several Walmart employees said they saw him carrying a rifle in the back corner of the Walmart parking lot near the woodline a little after noon, which ultimately triggered the call for the SWAT teams, which responded to the scene around 5 p.m.

SWAT teams involved in the standoff included the Seacoast CERT SWAT team, the Stafford County SWAT team and New Hampshire and Maine state police SWAT teams.

New Hampshire State Police also deployed a helicopter to the scene to provide aerial intelligence.

Overnight Sunday SWAT team officials had attempted to contact Christopher Thomas, who responded by firing four rounds toward law enforcement, police said.

Christopher Thomas stands charged with four counts of felony reckless conduct with a deadly weapon for firing his rifle toward police and police helicopters. He also has several outstanding charges for criminal threatening and theft.

He is being held without bail pending an arraignment later today at Strafford County Superior Court.