AG's Office hasn't said whether witnesses to fatal shooting have come forward

Scene of Monday shooting on High Street in Somersworth (Rochester NH Scanner Alerts)

SOMERSWORTH - The man fatally shot in a Somersworth apartment house on Monday was a visitor to the building, according to a statement sent The Rochester Voice by the state Attorney General's Office on Thursday.

Somersworth and State Police are investigating whether the other man involved in the incident, who is a resident at the High Street apartment house, may have acted in self defense. He sustained non-gunshot injuries and was treated and released from a local hospital.

Police got involved around 7:20 p.m. on Monday after 911 dispatchers received a call for police and emergency medical services to a reported shooting outside an apartment building at 97 High St. Upon arrival, officers located Jeffrey Prouty, 36, suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest.

Upon entering the building, officers located a second male, age 31, in a hallway suffering from what appeared to be non-gunshot wounds. Both men were transported to a local hospital where Prouty was later pronounced deceased, according to a Somersworth Police press release sent out Tuesday.

Evidence revealed at the scene showed that both men were involved in an argument immediately prior to the shooting, and the investigation currently includes determining whether the injured male acted in self-defense, police say.

An autopsy conducted on Tuesday revealed Prouty's cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the chest, and the manner of death was homicide, which means he was killed by another. The AG's office also confirmed the victim was an area resident.

Investigators are now looking to interview several witnesses they believe were at the scene during the deadly confrontation, but left before police arrived.

The AG's office on Thursday gave no indication as to whether or not any individuals who may have witnessed the incident had come forward to be interviewed by police.

Investigators are asking anyone who was present during the confrontation to call the New Hampshire State Police Major Crime Unit at (603) 223-3856 or send an email to MCU@dos.nh.gov. People may also call the Somersworth Police Department at (603) 692-3131.