'In this state, you need to worry about someone walking in, shooting up the place'

Brandon Murphy (Rochester Police photo)

DOVER - A Rochester man accused of threatening five people while carrying an AR-15 style rifle is facing decades in prison following his indictment earlier this month by a Strafford County grand jury.
Brandon Murphy, 33, with a last known address of Brock Street, is charged with five counts of criminal threatening with a deadly weapon, according to court documents.
The incident occurred at the Columbus Avenue Circle K in Rochester on Feb. 21, when Murphy is alleged to have carried an AR-15 style rifle into the store and told a group of young people, "Watch what you say because in this state someone could walk in and shoot up the place."
The victims included young people in their teens or 20s as well as one minor.

Rochester Police got involved around 10:30 p.m. when two officers responded to the Circle K at 717 Columbus Ave. for a report of criminal threatening with a firearm.
When officers arrived on scene they spoke with a witness who said he had "observed a male exiting the store with a rifle and placing it in the trunk of his vehicle," according to an affidavit written by Rochester Patrol Officer Aidan Birmingham.
One of the officers then entered the store and spoke to a clerk, who said a man had entered the store with a rifle and made threatening statements toward a group of young men and a minor child who were inside the store.
The other officer spoke with the group of young men, who said "they had originally spoken to the male in a joking mannner while the male was buying merchandise," the affidavit states.
The male then returned with a rifle and told the group they were being "disrespectful" and "needed to leave the store."
One individual in the group told police the male then stated, "In this state, you need to be worried about someone walking in and shooting up the place" before walking out and leaving in his car.

Police were able to identify Murphy by using his license plate and store surveillance images showing him and the rifle. He was arrested the next day.

Each count of criminal threatening with a deadly weapon is a Class B felony which carries a three and a half to seven year state prison sentence apiece.
The May grand jury indictments were handed down on May 14 and released to the public on Friday.
An indictment is not an indication of guilt, rather that enough evidence has been presented to a grand jury to move forward to trial.