Suspended Transit police detective arrested for allegedly firing gun into walls of Nashua hotel room

, Globe Staff

A suspended MBTA Transit Police detective is behind bars in New Hampshire after he allegedly shot up a hotel room and pointed a handgun at heavily armed Nashua police officers when they tried to take him into custody, officials said.

Gary McKeon, 47, was arrested around 3 p.m. on Thursday in an unnamed Nashua hotel after relatives contacted authorities to report they feared McKeon might harm himself. Police were called to the hotel after McKeon allegedly fired four shots into the walls of his rented room, police said.

Nashua police deployed its SWAT officers, known as the Special Reaction Team, and during a confrontation McKeon allegedly pointed a firearm at police. He later surrendered peacefully, and Nashua police, citing state laws, would not say if a handgun was recovered.

McKeon pleaded not guilty in Nashua District Court on Friday to four counts of reckless conduct and one count of criminal threatening. Bail was set at $250,000 cash, officials said.

Joseph Pesaturo, spokesman for the MBTA and the Transit police, said in an e-mail that McKeon was placed on administrative leave on Dec. 17 after he was arrested by Chelmsford police on another charge. At that time, McKeon’s service weapon was seized by his superiors, Pesaturo said.

The new arrest does not change McKeon’s status, Pesaturo said. He remains on administrative leave pending the resolution of the criminal charges against the Billerica resident.