
Zip code - 02632 |
Travel the road to the upper campgrounds in Nickerson State Park and you may think for a moment that you have been magically transported to the Berkshire Hills or the piney woods of the Carolinas. Nowhere in sight are the sand dunes and salt marshes usually associated with Cape Cod. Instead, you are surrounded by woods that slope down to the banks of eight crystal clear fresh water ponds. Yet, if you walk or bicycle through the woods, you will find no rivers or streams feeding the ponds. These are “kettle ponds,” among more than 300 formed as glaciers retreated from the Cape over 10,000 years ago. Completely dependent on groundwater and precipitation, the water level in the ponds fluctuates from season to season and year to year.
Rte. 6A, Brewster, MA
phone: 508-896-3491
map / details
| Barnstable Officer Seizes Illegal Rifle Hours After His Father's Retirement Friday June 19, 2026 |
| ABOVE ? A retirement and Father's Day gift, all rolled into one: Barnstable Police Officer Daniel Nuss examines an illegally possessed rifle he seized during a traffic stop in Hyannis early this morning. Officer Nuss began his law enforcement career several years ago with the Bourne Police Department before transferring to Barnstable, where he was sworn in on November 5, 2025. He is following in the footsteps of his father, Detective Eric Nuss, who retired yesterday from the Yarmouth Police Department after 32 years of service. The timely recovery of the illegal firearm makes for a fitting early Father's Day gift for the proud father who served before him.
HYANNIS, MASSACHUSETTS ? A traffic stop turned into a firearms recovery early Friday morning when a Barnstable police officer seized a rifle and ammunition from a vehicle on Route 132.
Patrolman Daniel Nuss pulled over a vehicle with three occupants near Bearses Way shortly after midnight. The vehicle was slow to stop and eventually came to a halt in front of the Margaritaville resort.
A computer check on the vehicle revealed that its registered owner had a prior gun-related charge, prompting additional cruisers to respond for backup. While the registered owner was not inside the vehicle, the female driver was found to have a suspended license.
As the investigation progressed, officers discovered a rifle and ammunition in the rear of the vehicle, along with an empty pistol holster. None of the three occupants ? two adult women and one adult man ? had firearm licenses. All three were handcuffed and placed in separate cruisers while the scene was processed. A small dog traveling with them was also temporarily detained in the back of a cruiser.
Barnstable Police deployed a K-9 unit trained in firearm detection to search the vehicle and the area along the route where the car had been slow to stop, due to concerns that a handgun may have been discarded.
Christopher Barros, 42, of Mashpee, was arrested at the scene and charged with unlicensed possession of a loaded firearm and ammunition. Additional charges are possible as the investigation continues. The two women and the dog were later released. The female driver is expected to be summonsed to court on a charge of operating after suspension. (The dog and other woman are not looking at any charges at this time?)
The vehicle, which was not registered to the driver, was towed and impounded. The driver was visibly upset by the tow. Officers noted that the vehicle was equipped with novelty ?bullet? tire stem valve caps ? items that are not illegal, but which struck those on scene as somewhat ironic after the morning's events.
A member of the Barnstable County Sheriff's crime scene unit responded to photograph evidence and process the vehicle for fingerprints.
The investigation remains active.
ABOVE: Detective Eric Nuss addresses a room full of people as he retired from service yesterday at Yarmouth Police Headquarters. [YPD photo/ HN edits]
Career Summary: Detective Eric Nuss
Yarmouth Police Department
Retired June 18, 2026 ? 32 Years of Service
Detective Eric Nuss retired from the Yarmouth Police Department on June 18, 2026, after more than 32 years of dedicated law enforcement service.
Nuss began his career in 1994 with the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center Police Department in Worcester. He relocated to Cape Cod in 1995 and joined the Dennis Police Department. In the spring of 1997, he transferred to the Yarmouth Police Department, where he would spend the majority of his career.
Throughout his time with the Yarmouth Police Department, Detective Nuss served in numerous capacities. He began as a Patrol Officer and later worked as a Field Training Officer, ATV Operator, Alcohol Licensing Liaison, and Citizen Police Academy Instructor. He was known for his versatility and willingness to take on a wide range of responsibilities.
Detective Nuss developed a strong reputation as a tenacious and thorough investigator early in his career. While still with the Dennis Police Department in 1996, he located and helped apprehend a suspect wanted in connection with a stabbing at the Compass Lounge in South Yarmouth.
During his tenure with Yarmouth PD, Nuss was the lead investigator on several high-profile and complex cases, including:
1998: Received the Exceptional Investigation Award for the arrest of a home invasion suspect.
2004: Earned a commendation from the Massachusetts State Police for his role in a Mid-Cape cocaine trafficking investigation that resulted in the seizure of more than $50,000 in cash.
2009: Served as the lead investigator in the homicide of a 24-year-old local man. The multi-year investigation led to the arrest and conviction of two suspects ? one sentenced to life in prison and the other to 15?20 years.
2017: Investigated a large-scale upskirting case involving a suspect who secretly recorded numerous victims, including a 9-year-old child. The investigation expanded across southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, ultimately resulting in the offender's arrest and conviction.
2020: Led the investigation into a violent home invasion in West Yarmouth. The suspect later pleaded guilty to six serious charges, including Home Invasion, Armed Kidnapping with a Firearm, and Assault with Intent to Rape.
Throughout his career, Detective Nuss handled hundreds of cases with professionalism, integrity, and compassion. He was particularly noted for his skill in conducting victim interviews and his persistence in pursuing offenders, sometimes across state lines. He built strong, well-documented cases that held up in court and received numerous Letters of Appreciation from citizens in recognition of his dedicated service.
Detective Eric Nuss leaves behind a legacy of thorough investigative work, mentorship, and a consistent commitment to both victims and the community he served for more than three decades.
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| Wellfleet man arraigned on child pornography charges following online investigation Thursday June 18, 2026 |
| BARNSTABLE ? From Barnstable Police: On June 18, 2026, Ross Hannon, 43, of Wellfleet, Massachusetts, was arraigned at Barnstable District Court on charges of Distributing Material of a Child in a Sexual Act and Possession of Child Pornography. His arrest is the result of an online investigation into individuals actively collecting and sharing Child Sexual [?] |
| No injuries reported after car, school bus collide in Hyannis Thursday June 18, 2026 |
| HYANNIS ? A car and school bus collided in Hyannis sometime after 4 PM Thursday. The crash happened at the intersection of Lewis Bay Road and South Street. Several students on the bus were evaluated as a precaution. Barnstable Police are investigating the cause of the crash. |
| Cape Cod remains in significant drought as state urges water conservation Thursday June 18, 2026 |
| BARNSTABLE ? Cape Cod remains under a Level 2 ? Significant Drought designation as state officials continue to monitor worsening dry conditions across Massachusetts and urge residents to conserve water heading into the summer season. A drought map released by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) shows the Cape Cod Region, [?] |
| HN Mid-Morning Photos: ?Shout, shout, let it all out?? Thursday June 18, 2026 |
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HN note: Some of the above images are obscured in order to protect the alleged victim in this particular case?
ABOVE: Barnstable police squad cars responded to the Stop & Shop gas station on West Main Street after reports of a violent disturbance in the parking lot. A cellphone was reportedly smashed on the pavement during an ongoing fight in which someone appeared to be getting strangled.
Officers arrived within minutes and quickly separated the two parties, restoring calm. The incident was classified as a domestic disturbance. Due to a language barrier, officers used a translation telephone line to investigate. Investigators determined that the woman was the alleged aggressor; she was arrested without further incident.
ABOVE: Barnstable police officers responded to a call from a man's family, who were concerned he was in crisis and posed a danger to himself or others. The man was reportedly in possession of a knife and experiencing a mental health crisis with possible homicidal ideations.
Officers immediately made contact with the man near the intersection of West Main Street and Pitchers Way. He was cooperative and was placed into a cruiser. A Hyannis Fire Department ambulance crew responded and transported him to Cape Cod Hospital for a mental health evaluation. The man's family also arrived on scene to provide support.
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| Barnstable Municipal Water Supply Board 06-16-2026 Wednesday June 17, 2026 |
| Barnstable Municipal Water Supply Board 06-16-2026 |
| Two people taken to hospital after traffic crash on Route 29 in Osterville Wednesday June 17, 2026 |
| OSTERVILLE ? Two people were transported to Cape Cod Hospital after a two vehicle crash in Osterville. The collision happened on Falmouth Road (Route 28) at Tanglewood Drive about 2:30 PM Wednesday. The injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. Traffic backups were likely in the area. Barnstable Police are investigating the cause of the [?] |
| Surveillance Video Leads Grand Jury to Indict West Yarmouth Man on Manslaughter Charges in Double Overdose Deaths Wednesday June 17, 2026 |
| YARMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS ? A Barnstable County grand jury has indicted a 29-year-old West Yarmouth man on two counts of manslaughter for his role in the fatal overdoses of two men at Englewood Beach last October.
Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert J. Galibois announced today that the grand jury returned the indictments on June 12, 2026, against Malik Franklin. The victims have been identified as Dean Monterio and Lucas Escabi.
On October 27, 2024, their bodies were discovered at Englewood Beach. Preliminary findings pointed to overdoses on illegal narcotics. Investigators with the Massachusetts State Police, working under Operation Last Call and assigned to the Cape & Islands DA's Office, examined the victims' phones and reviewed beach surveillance footage.
The video shows both men entering Franklin's vehicle. They consumed illegal narcotics in the backseat before exiting the car and collapsing to the ground. Franklin initially drove away but quickly returned, got out, walked over to each victim, and then left the scene again.
Phone records showed that Monterio's last three calls that night were to Franklin. Investigators determined the men had met Franklin earlier that evening in Hyannis before meeting him a second time at the beach.
Franklin was arraigned today in Barnstable Superior Court and ordered held on $100,000 bail. His next court date is July 17, 2026. No booking photo of the suspect was provided with today's press release. First Assistant District Attorney Jessica Elumba will prosecute the case.
The investigation was conducted by the Massachusetts State Police Detectives Unit assigned to the Cape & Islands DA's Office, the State Police STOP unit, the Yarmouth Police Department, and the Mashpee Police Department.
?Fatal overdose investigations are among the most difficult cases our prosecutors and law enforcement partners undertake,? District Attorney Galibois said. ?The outstanding work of the investigators and officers whose diligence, attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to public safety led to these indictments. Their efforts reflect our shared determination to combat the overdose crisis and provide some solace to the victims' loved ones.?
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. |
| Investigation into double fatal overdoses leads grand jury to issue manslaughter charges Wednesday June 17, 2026 |
| YARMOUTH ? From the Cape & Islands District Attorney's Office: Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert J. Galibois announced today that a Barnstable County Grand Jury returned indictments on June 12, 2026, against Malik Franklin, 29 years old, of W. Yarmouth for his role in the deaths of two individuals that overdosed on illegal narcotics. [?] |
| Ski-Masked Vandal Smashes Barnstable Flock Camera with 2×4 in Cotuit Wednesday June 17, 2026 |
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COTUIT, MASSACHUSETTS ? A ski-masked figure armed with a two-by-four launched a late-night attack on one of the Town of Barnstable's Flock surveillance cameras along Route 28 near the Santuit-Newtown Road intersection, damaging the solar-powered unit and prompting a police manhunt that came up empty.
Barnstable Police responded shortly before midnight Monday, June 15, 2026, after a passerby spotted the assault on the automated license plate reader (ALPR) camera mounted high on a pole overlooking Route 28 traffic. Officers found the camera and its solar panel damaged. The suspect had already fled.
The damaged camera is one of four Flock Safety units currently operated by Barnstable Police under contract with the Atlanta-based company. According to a March 18, 2026 report in the Provincetown Independent, three of the cameras are mounted on free-standing black poles equipped with solar panels ? including the one on Route 28 in front of Lujean Printing Company near the Mashpee border (in the Cotuit/Santuit area), which was the camera vandalized Monday night. The fourth camera is mounted overhead from a light pole on Main Street in downtown Hyannis. One additional known location is near the intersection of Main Street and Barnstable Road in Hyannis.
Flock Safety cameras are automated license plate readers (ALPRs) that capture still images of every passing vehicle. They record license plate numbers (including temporary and out-of-state tags), vehicle color, make and model, plus distinctive details such as roof racks, bumper stickers or visible damage ? all timestamped with exact location data. The information feeds into a searchable cloud database that Barnstable police and other agencies can query to help solve crimes.
The technology has drawn sharp criticism from privacy advocates. The ACLU of Massachusetts has warned that Flock's interconnected network enables ?indiscriminate surveillance? by creating detailed, warrantless travel profiles of ordinary drivers and sharing that data across a nationwide system used by thousands of law enforcement agencies. The group's ?Get The FLOCK Out? campaign calls for stronger state regulations, noting that at least 80 Massachusetts departments now use Flock systems.
Local police departments ? including agencies across the entire state ? counter that the cameras are a vital modern tool for quickly identifying suspects in fast-moving crimes, recovering stolen vehicles and removing dangerous drivers from Cape Cod roads, according to recent online news reports.
In a striking irony, while the targeted camera successfully logged routine traffic data from Route 28, it captured no clear immediate images of the masked attacker who struck it. According to police radio transmissions, officers only had a basic description of the suspect ? including clothing ? provided by the passerby who witnessed the attack.
A Barnstable Police K9 unit arrived and tracked the suspect north across Route 28 behind a house under construction. Officers discovered a pile of two-by-four lumber in the backyard but found no sign of the vandal. A member of the Barnstable County Sheriff's Office Bureau of Criminal Investigations responded to document the damaged camera and collect potential evidence from the scene.
The investigation remains active. Barnstable Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the department. Based on the cost of the damage, the suspect could face felony vandalism charges if apprehended.
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| 'I Didn't Want to Die': Murder Suspect Surrenders After Cape Cod Restaurant Shooting Tuesday June 16, 2026 |
| WEST DENNIS, MASSACHUSETTS ? A 26-year-old man who turned himself in to police after fatally shooting a 35-year-old man in the head at a popular Cape Cod restaurant has told investigators he acted in self-defense after being jumped, punched, and struck repeatedly in the head with a hard object during a confrontation inside the Moonfish restaurant.
Nicholas D. Campbell was arraigned Monday, June 15, 2026, in Orleans District Court on charges of murder, in violation of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 269 Section 1, and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered held without bail.
The shooting occurred shortly after midnight on Saturday, June 13, at the Moonfish restaurant, 369 Main Street, in West Dennis ? a spot well-known among the Jamaican community, especially on Friday nights.
According to a detailed Massachusetts State Police report by Trooper Jessica M. Coray, submitted to establish probable cause ahead of Campbell's arraignment, multiple 911 calls flooded Dennis Police dispatch around 12:05 a.m. reporting a shooting inside the restaurant and requesting police and medical help.
One minute later, at approximately 12:06 a.m., a caller identifying himself as Nicholas told dispatchers he had shot someone in self-defense after being jumped and stabbed in the head. He said he was coming to the police station. He never arrived at Dennis Police headquarters. Instead, Campbell turned himself in at the Barnstable Police Department.
Dennis officers, including Sgt. Matthew Turner and Officer Shae McHowell, responded immediately. Upon arrival they saw numerous people leaving the area on foot and in vehicles. Directed inside by an unidentified male, they found a man lying supine in the main dining room with two others kneeling beside him. A large amount of apparent blood pooled on the floor from a head wound. Sgt. Turner found no pulse, observed the body was completely limp, noted the blood was not flowing and contained large clots, and saw no chest rise indicating breathing. A spent brass shell casing lay approximately 18 inches from the left side of the victim's head.
Medics from the Dennis Fire Department arrived and at about 12:13 a.m. determined the victim was not viable for resuscitation. A perimeter was quickly established to secure the scene amid a growing crowd. The building was searched; no suspects were located.
State police investigators, crime scene services, firearms identification personnel, and laboratory staff were called in. The restaurant owner indicated video surveillance was available. Preliminary information indicated multiple shots had been fired and the victim had suffered head trauma consistent with a gunshot wound.
Because Campbell had reported being stabbed in the head, Dennis Officer Sarah Lake responded to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis. Hospital staff reported no stab-wound victims since the incident, though two unidentified Black males had arrived looking for an injured person.
Around 12:36 a.m., Barnstable police responded to Bristol Avenue in Hyannis for a report of a woman crying in the street beside a vehicle with its hazard lights on. She told officers she had just received bad news about her son, identified as Careeme Harakh, age 35. Family members on scene stated that a man known as ?Six? had shot Careeme. They identified ?Six? as Nicholas Campbell.
The victim's father, who had been at the Moonfish with his son, told officers he heard gunshots, ducked for cover, and later realized Careeme had been shot. He saw a male running away but could provide no description. Family members said Odane Morris had been with Campbell at the restaurant. They noted Campbell knew the Harakh family through another relative but said they did not believe the shooting was connected to a prior ?beef? involving that relative and Morris.
At approximately 12:57 a.m., Campbell arrived at Barnstable Police Department headquarters with two other men. He approached the front desk and handed Officer Lorne Fellows a black fanny pack containing his Glock 27-M4 pistol and License to Carry. When asked what happened, Campbell said, ?I did something bad.?
He was handcuffed and frisked. Officers noted he was holding a balaclava (ski mask), which he said he had been wearing at the time of the shooting. An inside-the-waistband holster was recovered from his right side near the appendix area. Both items were seized as evidence.
While in the booking area, Campbell made spontaneous statements captured on body camera. He described the encounter:
?He just came up to me and started saying what's up to me so I said what's up back and started to walk off. As soon as I turned my back and I kept my head straight he just started punching me. And then I seen him? I don't know what he had in his hand. By the time I looked up I seen him hit me in my head. That's where everything started. I was falling on the ground??
After being read his Miranda rights, he continued:
?I'm trying to walk away trying to disengage. I said what's up back but in like a friendly way? I could see through glimpse of my eye someone swinging and by the time I could look around I caught the first one. So, I plunged forward and I look around and kind of gaze back and he launches again. I seen something an object I don't know if it was a knife what it was in his hands and he hit me in the head a few time and in the shoulder. And I kind of fell back into some tables. And then he kept running on top of me. And that's when everything happened. I didn't want to die. I didn't know what he had.?
Campbell was secured pending the arrival of state police and Dennis detectives.
In a later interview with state police detectives at approximately 4:24 a.m. at Barnstable Police headquarters, Campbell provided additional context. He said he had been in the United States since 2018, traveling back and forth from Jamaica after his mother was deported when he was a child. He completed high school in Jamaica and speaks fluent English. He had worked at a local lumber yard until injuring his finger approximately six months earlier, undergoing surgery, and now receiving workers' compensation. He stated he was not under the influence of alcohol and does not like to drink.
Campbell said he wore the ski mask to the Moonfish because he likes to cover his face due to social anxiety, though it was not fully covering his face. Upon entering, he said two men at the front door whom he described as ?known bullies? commented on the mask: ?you think that ski mask can save you, you keep hiding.? He recognized one as older with whom he had prior non-negative interactions. The comments reminded him of a 2020 incident where he was stabbed. He had reported that incident to police. He said the men were from the Bristol Avenue area in Hyannis and that he knows to stay away from them.
Inside the restaurant, Campbell said the atmosphere felt heavy and he heard his nickname ?Six? mentioned. He feared someone might do something to him, possibly rob him of money from his finger-injury settlement. He described being punched by a male wearing a black shirt. Believing the attack would not stop and that he had no other choice, he said he fired ?like three times.? He then holstered his firearm, walked toward the exit, and called 911, telling the dispatcher he had discharged his firearm and that friends would bring him to the station.
Campbell said he had been hit with something hard, like a bottle or the bottom of a knife, all over his head and shoulder. Detectives observed dried blood on his head; he refused medical treatment.
He estimated he had been inside the Moonfish for about 15 minutes before the shooting. He chose to turn himself in at Barnstable because he was familiar with the station and his License to Carry had been issued there.
At the crime scene, investigators documented the layout: numerous tables had been pushed together toward the front, creating a large open space with a large black upright speaker. Careeme Harakh's body lay on the floor next to the speaker. He was described as a Black male, approximately 5'8?, 185 pounds, wearing a black t-shirt with gray ?Psycho Bunny? wording, blue boxer briefs, black jean shorts, a black belt, and white Nike shoes. A black baseball cap was located under his left ankle.
Investigators observed an apparent gunshot wound to the head between the eyes and a large pool of apparent blood under the victim's head. Three spent shell casings were recovered near the body. Projectiles and other forensic evidence were collected.
At approximately 4:13 a.m., technicians from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner arrived and prepared the body for transport to their facility in Sandwich. The autopsy, performed by Dr. Mourtzinos, documented gunshot wounds including one to the victim's left eye with gunpowder marks indicating a close-range shot. The cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound to the head; the manner was ruled homicide.
The state police report states that the charge against Campbell was based on incriminating witness statements along with his own acknowledgment that he ?did something bad.? The report notes it was prepared for the limited purpose of establishing probable cause and does not contain all information known to investigators at the time.
Campbell remains in custody pending further court proceedings.
HN Reminder: The information in the above report is based on a 26-page charging document submitted in Orleans District Court. This report does not contain all the details submitted to the court and omits information regarding certain witnesses. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The following HN video recaps the night of the shooting at the Moonfish Restaurant and the early stages of the homicide investigation.
Note: HN was unable to attend the arraignment and does not have any new video or images from the proceeding.
[HN VIDEO ? PRESS PLAY]
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| Barnstable County Tech Rescue Team called out to search for missing hiker in the Provincetown dunes ? man found safe Tuesday June 16, 2026 |
| PROVINCETOWN ? The Barnstable County Tech Rescue team was activated late Monday evening. According to reports, an older male became lost in the dunes of the Cape Cod National Seashore. About 11:15 PM, searchers located the man safe. |