Independent New Hampshire Journalism · Northfield, NHCorrection and update, Sept. 19, 2026, 2:30 p.m. EDT: An earlier version of this article said WMUR reported that prosecutors could seek added counts. The comment WMUR reported came from Jesse O’Neill, a former prosecutor, not from prosecutors in the case. The article also set a paraphrase of the criminal complaint inside quotation marks; the quote now matches the complaint language CBS Boston reported. Since publication, a Merrimack County grand jury indicted Anderson on two class A felonies and one class B felony, InDepthNH.org reported. The charge and case-status sections have been updated. Anderson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Hooksett man charged with threatening Gov. Kelly Ayotte; court docs cite talk of “weapon of mass destruction”
CONCORD, N.H. — Sept. 18, 2025 — A 22-year-old Hooksett resident was charged after allegedly threatening to kill New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte and discussing plans to target her with a “weapon of mass destruction,” according to court documents described by multiple outlets on Sept. 18, 2025. Tristan Anderson was arrested in August and was held without bail at the Merrimack County Jail, the Concord Monitor reported.
What happened
According to court documents reviewed by WMUR, the investigation began Aug. 28, 2025, when Pembroke police received a report about Snapchat messages Anderson allegedly sent to a roommate, referencing pipe-bomb components and a plan to attack the governor. The roommate told police Anderson showed her metal tubes, along with nuts and bolts intended to go inside them, and said he was taking apart fireworks for the bombs, the documents state. CBS Boston reported that the criminal complaint alleges Anderson “did knowingly threaten to commit the crime of homicide and/or assault against Governor Kelly Ayotte” for the purpose of influencing her official actions.
The Concord Monitor reported that Anderson was banned from the State House grounds. He was first charged with a misdemeanor count of criminal threatening and a felony count of threatening homicide or assault against a government official.
The charges, explained
Under RSA 631:4-a, it is a class B felony in New Hampshire to threaten bodily injury or any other crime against a past or present governor, among other officials, to influence the official’s actions or in retaliation for them. Causing bodily injury or committing another crime against such an official for those purposes is a class A felony. Criminal threatening is covered under RSA 631:4. In December 2025, a Merrimack County grand jury indicted Anderson on two class A felonies, attempted harm to certain government officials and attempted throwing or placing of explosives, and one class B felony, threats to certain government officials, InDepthNH.org reported. Class A felonies are punishable by 7½ to 15 years in state prison, and class B felonies by 3½ to 7 years.
What officials are saying
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office referred WMUR’s questions to the court documents. Jesse O’Neill, a former prosecutor interviewed by WMUR before the indictment, said prosecutors “could very well bring additional charges as this case moves into the indictment phase.” CBS Boston reported that Anderson was charged with “criminal threatening” and “harm or threats to certain government officials.”
Why it matters
The arrest came amid a documented rise in threats and harassment aimed at local public officials nationwide. A WMUR data analysis of Princeton University’s Bridging Divides Initiative (BDI) dataset reported nearly 2,000 incidents against local officials from January 2022 through July 2025, with cases climbing sharply from 2022 to 2023. BDI’s July 2025 update counted more than 300 incidents in 2025 through July.
What’s next
After the indictment, a dispositional conference was scheduled in Merrimack County Superior Court for Jan. 8, 2026, InDepthNH.org reported. Anderson had been held in preventive detention since his arrest, the Concord Monitor reported in December 2025. The charges are accusations. Anderson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
How to report suspicious activity in New Hampshire
If you see something that appears concerning, call 9-1-1. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s state page for New Hampshire also links to the online Suspicious Activity Report process and offers guidance on what details to include when reporting. The New Hampshire Information & Analysis Center (NHIAC) — a joint operation of State Police and Homeland Security & Emergency Management — can also receive tips about suspicious behavior.
Sources & research
WMUR: “Man accused of threatening to attack Gov. Kelly Ayotte” (court-document details, status of case) and “Hooksett man indicted for alleged threats against Gov. Ayotte” (indictment).
Concord Monitor: “Hooksett man arrested for threats against Gov. Ayotte” (charges, custody status, State House ban) and “Grand jury indicts Hooksett man for threatening violence against Gov. Ayotte” (indictment, detention).
CBS Boston (WBZ): “22-year-old man charged with threatening to kill New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte” (criminal complaint language).
New Hampshire statutes: RSA 631:4-a (Harm or Threats to Certain Government Officials) and RSA 631:4 (Criminal Threatening).
WMUR data feature & Princeton BDI: Trends showing a rise in threats and harassment against local officials; BDI Threats & Harassment Dataset (monthly updates).
DHS “If You See Something, Say Something” (NH reporting page; how to report suspicious activity).
InDepthNH.org: “Hooksett Man Indicted for Threatening Gov. Ayotte” (indictment counts, statutes, penalties, dispositional conference).
Related: Examining the Ayotte Threat Case: Political Rhetoric and Violence.
Corrections: Granite State Report corrects verified errors promptly and appends a dated note identifying what changed and when. The corrections policy and the corrections register are public, and correction notes are never removed.
