Officer Justin Graham was awarded his department’s Employee Excellence Award for his actions after a shooting on Nichols Street. (Courtesy photograph)
Haverhill Police Officer Justin Graham has been recognized with his department’s Employee Excellence Award for his actions after a shooting in Haverhill’s Acre neighborhood led to a multi-state pursuit of the suspects.
A patrolman with the force since 2016, Graham was on duty the night of April 24 when he responded to a person firing a handgun out of a 2002 Mazda at an unknown target on Nichols Street. As police gave chase, the suspect began shooting at officers as the vehicle left the area.
Police pursued the vehicle onto Interstate 495 and the chase continued onto Route 213 and onto Interstate 93, where the car crashed on Route 111 at the intersection of the I-93 ramp in Windham, N.H. Driver Manuel Soto was arrested immediately at the scene, while his passenger, Javonnie Chambers, fled into the woods and was captured four hours later.
No injuries were reported as a result of the gunfire or subsequent high-speed chase.
As WHAV previously reported, Soto pleaded not guilty to New Hampshire’s reckless conduct charges in Rockingham Superior Court. He and Chambers also face attempted murder charges in Massachusetts, in addition to a charge of illegal possession of a large capacity firearm.