Former New Hampshire police officer accused of racially motivated attack on black bank manager outside cafe

The New Hampshire The attorney general’s office has filed a civil complaint against a former police officer accused of violently assaulting a black bank manager outside a diner last year in an incident that officials say was racially motivated.

In November 2023, Mamadou Dembele, a 49-year-old black man, walked into Gilley’s restaurant in Portsmouth to pick up a takeout after spending time in the cigar bar. At the restaurant, he met former Portsmouth police officer Aaron Goodwin, 45, his brother, Kevin, 42, and sister-in-law Shannon, 38, all of whom are white.

Noticing Dembel’s accent, Shannon asked the man where he was from. He replied, “Africa.” Kevin reportedly called the man a “moron”, adding that Africa is a continent, not a country. Dembele did not respond, the complaint states.

The former officer apparently then told Dembele that he smelled bad. Dembele told him he had come from the cigar bar and handed the man a cigar he had bought earlier that evening.

Kevin Goodwin then became angry, according to the complaint, and asked his brother why he was talking to a “f****** jerk,” saying Dembele was “too poor to afford a good cigar.” Kevin said the cigar was “dumb,” explaining to the group that it was “when black people mix tobacco with marijuana and smoke it.”

Dembele did not respond. The Goodwins soon left with the food.

Dembele also took the food and left the restaurant. He then confronted the group in the parking lot, security footage shows. Kevin Goodwin reportedly spotted Dembele and told him to leave. At that point, Dembele asked the man what his problem was, the statement said. Shannon then started yelling at him and allegedly called him a racial slur.

Dembele continued to ask what had happened and told the group that he had not done anything to them. As the standoff escalated, two young men, one black and one Asian, pulled into the parking lot and were walking up the stairs to the restaurant when they noticed the exchange.

As they watched, Shannon began cursing and calling them racial slurs, according to court documents. She then became so aggressive with Dembele that she required physical restraint, the documents said. Aaron then walked up to Dembele and tackled him to the ground using the back of his shirt, security footage shows. Dembele’s head hit the ground, causing him to temporarily lose consciousness.

Two young men went to help him, but were allegedly detained by the Goodwins. Kevin Goodwin shoved his hand into the shoulder and chest of the young black man to keep him away from Dembele, the documents said. Shannon then continued to call bystanders names, including a racial slur. She then punched the young black man in the face and chest, the statement said.

Dembele came to his senses, rose to his feet and told passers-by not to interfere again. The employee of the restaurant left the building and announced that she was calling the police.

The group told the officer they thought Dembele was a gang member based on the hand movements they saw. Aaron Goodwin, a former police officer, told officers the attack was not racially motivated. He later made several statements to the police and the press, saying he acted in self-defense.

But a restaurant employee told a Portsmouth officer that the group attacked Dembele because of his race, citing racial slurs she had heard directed at the men.

In March, the two brothers were charged with one count of assault and one count of disorderly conduct. Shannon remains wanted on three counts of simple assault and disorderly conduct.

In August, Kevin Goodwin pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. He was ordered to pay a $500 fine and $120 in fines. The following month, Aaron Goodwin pleaded guilty to assault. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, but no time served after agreeing to an anger management evaluation and completing 20 hours of community service.

The attorney general’s office requires the men to pay a $5,000 fine for each violation of the state’s Civil Rights Act. The office cited four violations per defendant in the complaint.

The office is also seeking a three-year temporary restraining order barring the Goodwins from coming within 350 feet of Dembele, his home, place of work or eatery.

Dembele, a regional market manager at Bangor Savings Bank’s consumer banking division, filed a federal lawsuit against Aron. He is seeking more than $75,000 in damages, including attorney’s fees and court costs.

After the incident, Dembele sought medical attention and was diagnosed with a concussion, a sprained wrist and an Achilles tendon injury.

The Independent emailed Aaron’s attorney and reached out to Kevin and Shannon for comment.

Dembele’s lawyer is asking for witnesses to the crime to come forward. “We are asking that the two unidentified witnesses who tried to help Mr. Dembele, who are pictured in our federal court complaint and who are also described in the state attorney general’s complaint, come forward to assist Mr. Dembele and the attorney general’s office in their respective cases.

“We are asking anyone with information about their identity to come forward,” the emailed statement said.