(NECN: Eileen Curran, Manchester, NH) - A 35-hour standoff between police and an armed New Hampshire man came to a deadly end Saturday morning.
James Breton,50, of Manchester was shot and killed by a state police SWAT team officer.
"He had made statements that he was not going to come out alive," said NH Senior Assistant Attorney General, Jeffery Strelzin.
Breton barricaded himself in his home with his seven year old daughter Thursday evening after police had come to his door to do a wellness check on the girl. That morning, the 18 year old daughter of Breton's girlfriend filed a sexual assault complaint against him. When police showed up at his door, they say he brandished a gun.
"It doesn't sound like him at all," said Breton's childhood friend Roland Lecerte. "I guess everybody has a breaking point and I guess it's been going on for about a year he's been under a lot of pressure."
Dozens of SWAT team members responded, there were intense negotiations and the evacuation of nearby homes. Around 6:30 Saturday morning, police went to peer in the window to check on the father and daughter.
Strelzin describes what happened next.
"He reacted extremely angrily to officers, they were up against the building. At that point...it appears he had a handgun and one of the SWAT team members ended up firing, killing him in the process."
A family friend says the daughter was not in the room when her father was shot, but ran in to find him on the floor. Joseph Lavasseur says earlier that morning, Bretton leaned over his daughter as if saying goodbye.
"He gave her his necklace and said I'll be watching over you forever," said Lavasseur.
Police grabbed the girl out of the home and took her to the hospital, where she was checked out and found to be physically ok.
Police recovered a semi-automatic handgun next to Breton's body. An autopsy will be conducted on Monday.
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