Police: Thorhauer Made Threats With Shotgun Before Being Tasered

A Merrimack man is being held in the Hillsborough County House of Correction after he allegedly threatened, in the presence of police officers, to kill a family member. He later threatened to use the shotgun on the responding officers, police say.

Robert Thorhauer, 58, of 27 Cambridge Drive, Merrimack, was arrested on two counts of criminal threatening and one count of reckless conduct in the incident that began just before 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26.

Police say they were called to Thorhauer's Cambridge Drive home for a domestic disturbance between family members. While police were at the home, talking with the other member of the disturbance, who allegedly assaulted Thorhauer, Thorhauer came out of the house and told police to take that person away or he'd "blow (that person) away," according to court documents

Thorhauer then retreated into the home and locked the door. When police attempted to get Thorhauer to come out of the house, he told them he wouldn't come out and that had a gun, according to court documents. 

Before police arrived, Thorhauer had allegedly threatened to get his gun and handle the argument "his way" and then went to retrieve a 12-gauge shotgun, according to the complaint against him filed in Merrimack district court.

Police contacted dispatch and asked them to call Thorhauer's phone in an attempt to convince him to come out of the home. At first he refused, but then agreed to go out onto the doorstep, but said his shotgun would be right inside the door and if police got too close, he wasn't afraid to use it, according to the affidavit.

While Lt. Dan Edmonds attempted to convince Thorhauer to surrender, Officer Michael Marcotte was able to get into position where he could draw his Taser on Thorhauer from behind. When Thorhauer turned and saw him, Marcotte said he immediately deployed the Taser, out of fear Thorhauer might have another weapon on him, the affidavit shows.

Thorhauer fell against the door, but was still standing. Marcotte said in the affidavit he ordered Thorhauer to the ground or he would be Tasered again, but he refused, so Marcotte deployed the Taser again. This brought Thorhauer to the ground where police were able to put him in handcuffs and arrest him, according to court documents.

Thorhauer was arraigned in Merrimack district court on the three felony charges on Friday morning. Judge Paul Moore ordered him held on $25,000 cash-only bail. His next court date is Oct. 8.