Duck Hunters near Exeter River Disturb Crew Practice
Five Exeter rowers heard and witnessed two gunshots on the Exeter River last Monday, Oct. 23, leading the Exeter Police Department (EPD) to suspect unusual hunting activity in the area.
According to senior varsity girls’ crew member Olivia Petersen, three boats—a single, a double and a pair—were nearby when the first gunshot sounded near the Exeter water treatment plant. Senior Grant Summermatter, leading the three boats in a single, immediately turned around and began rowing back when Petersen and upper Ollie Young saw a second gunshot enter the water.
“As the investigation of the incident unfolds, we have taken steps to keep our students safe and support them should they be feeling anxious about the incident.”
“When we heard the first one, we didn’t think we should be that worried since it’s hunting season, but when we saw one actually go into the water, we decided to turn around,” Petersen said.
Senior Chase Ryan-Embry, who was rowing with upper Maddy Potter in the double, gave a similar account and remembered seeing a duck when he heard the gunshot. Like Petersen, he assumed the shooter had been aiming for the bird. “I was pretty calm about it because it didn’t seem like that big of a deal. After that, there were no more gunshots,” he said. “It was a little scary when I thought about it later, but it really was not anything that I think should be made into a big deal.”
Varsity practice had been cancelled earlier that day because several Exeter rowers had just competed in the Head of the Charles Regatta the previous weekend. Since their expedition in the smaller boats was an optional practice, the five rowers were unaccompanied by their coaches, who were still at the boathouse. “This is an important part of the story. Usually, our coaches are with us all the time. We just thought it would be fun to go out in small boats, which is why we were out on the water without a coach,” Petersen said.
Junior varsity teams were conducting practice as usual, but they were far behind the five rowers and turned back after Petersen and her teammates notified them of the situation.
The occurrence raised some legal concerns, as chapter seven of the Exeter Town Ordinances mandates that “no person, firm or corporation shall fire or discharge any cannon, gun pistol or other firearm, rocket or squibs within the compact area of the Town of Exeter” or “fire or discharge any cannon, gun pistol or other firearm, rocket or squib within 300 feet of a dwelling, building or person.”
Petersen estimated a 30 yard distance between the boats and where the bullet landed on the water surface. “There’s nothing illegal about hunting, but if [the hunter] was being that reckless as to shoot near people in the water, then he’s probably got something going against him, like being unlicensed or underage,” she said.
In response, the Academy’s Campus Safety Department reported the incident to the EPD and the NH Fish and Game Department and Director of Athletics Shane LaPointe sent an email to parents of all students enrolled in fall crew.
“I want to assure you that your child is safe,” she wrote. “As the investigation of the incident unfolds, we have taken steps to keep our students safe and support them should they be feeling anxious about the incident.”
The following Tuesday, the EPD asked the rowers to provide statements about what they had witnessed. While the police investigation is ongoing, Exeter rowers hope that campus rumors surrounding the gunshots will not distort the reality or gravity of the incident.
“People have been hyping the situation up, taking it out of context and making it into something bigger,” senior and varsity crew co-captain Dara Okeremi said. “It’s important to stick to the truth and the facts. Around this school and probably the world, people tend to dramatize things that don’t need to be dramatized or take it out of context and undermine the importance of reporting the truth.”