Family Mourns Man Killed In Shootout With NH Police
ROCHESTER, NH (CBS) - The family of the man shot and killed by police in Rochester, New Hampshire says they are stunned by what happened. They admit Doug Heath had issues, but they're still shocked he got into the confrontation which cost him his life Monday night.
"He didn't deserve to go out the way he did," Heath's sister-in-law Justine Baird said.
She came to the spot where cell phone video shows Heath getting out of his crashed SUV and shooting towards police, who then shoot and kill him.
"His kids saw the video and they were upset about it," Baird said. "My sister Kathy she's torn apart, like it's her husband."
Baird understands that Heath allegedly shot at police first, but she also knows the kind of person her sister's husband and father of three was.
"He had his days like everybody else does, but he was unbelievable, he sure is going to be missed a lot," Baird said. "I still loved him, he was still my family, been around for 22 years."
The Attorney General's office says Heath had several warrants for his arrest, including one for drug trafficking and one for fleeing Maine State Police.
"I know if he knew how far it was going to go, he wouldn't have done it," Baird said. "He didn't want to die I know he didn't want to die."
Police are still reviewing video and audio from Monday's shootout.