Alstead man held without bail after allegedly shooting woman in head

Sep. 28—The man accused of causing life-threatening injuries to a woman when he shot her at an Alstead home Sunday night was ordered held without bail Tuesday, according to court documents.

Jeremy Fitzgerald, 44, of Alstead waived his arraignment in Cheshire County Superior Court on a felony charge of first-degree assault with a deadly weapon, court documents state.

During an argument, Fitzgerald shot the 39-year-old woman, who he knew, in the face near her eye, causing severe ocular and brain injuries, N.H. State Police Detective Michael McLaughlin wrote in a news release.

Police said in a news release after Fitzgerald was arrested Monday that the woman was taken to Cheshire Medical Center in Keene and later to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon with life-threatening injuries.

She underwent a neurosurgical procedure to remove the bullet from her brain, McLaughlin wrote in the affidavit. A spokeswoman for State Police said Tuesday afternoon that her condition has not changed since the agency reported her injuries as life-threatening a day earlier.

Around 11:30 p.m. Sunday, a 911 caller reported a shooting at a residence on MacLean Road, McLaughlin wrote in the affidavit, adding that Fitzgerald could be heard in the background of the call.

Dispatch instructed Fitzgerald to meet police outside of the residence unarmed with his hands up, which he did, McLaughlin wrote. Later at the State Police barracks in Keene, Fitzgerald agreed to an interview, telling police he had locked himself in the basement during an argument with the woman and fired a shot at her after she kicked open the door, according to the affidavit.

Fitzgerald told police he aimed the second shot at the woman, who he said was unarmed, because he felt she was going to harm him, McLaughlin wrote. That shot hit her, he said, and he then wrapped her wounded head in a sweatshirt and carried her up the stairs to a couch until police arrived, according to the affidavit.

A lawyer for Fitzgerald could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Ryan Spencer can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1412, or rspencer@keenesentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter at @rspencerKS