Rifle Rampage: Officer Wounded in Deadly Pursuit

Close-up of a police car with red lights and officers in the background

A New Hampshire man who fired on police officers died in a shootout with state troopers after an hours-long manhunt that locked down a rural community, raising questions about the escalating dangers law enforcement faces when domestic disputes turn violent.

Story Snapshot

Matthew J. Massie, 38, shot at family members with a high-powered rifle then wounded a responding Nottingham police officer
Massie fled into woods near Raymond, New Hampshire, triggering a massive multi-agency manhunt and shelter-in-place order
State Police tactical teams located Massie around 10:00 PM; he fired at troopers who returned fire, killing him
Incident began two days after a suspicious fire at Massie’s family home prompted felony warrants against him

Domestic Dispute Turns Deadly for Law Enforcement

Matthew J. Massie, a 38-year-old Raymond resident, allegedly fired a high-powered rifle at family members on Ham Road. When Nottingham Police Department officers arrived on scene, Massie opened fire on them, striking one officer with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The wounded officer was immediately transported to a hospital while Massie fled on foot into nearby woods, carrying a long gun. Despite the rifle fire directed at family members, no relatives were physically injured during the initial shooting.

Multi-Agency Manhunt Locks Down Rural Community

Law enforcement agencies rapidly established a perimeter around the Ham Road and Nottingham Road area as Massie disappeared into the wooded terrain of rural Rockingham County. Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order for residents in the immediate vicinity as New Hampshire State Police, Raymond Police Department, and additional agencies coordinated a search for the armed suspect. Police described Massie as a white male, 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 202 pounds, with black hair and hazel eyes. Major Brendan Davey of the State Police confirmed during an afternoon press briefing that the suspect remained armed and extremely dangerous, urging residents to remain indoors.

Fatal Confrontation Ends Eight-Hour Standoff

Tactical teams located Massie in the woods near where he had initially fled. According to State Police, Massie fired at approaching troopers, who returned fire, striking the suspect. He was pronounced dead at the scene, with a long gun recovered beside his body. The confrontation brought a violent end to an eight-hour ordeal that had paralyzed the small New Hampshire community. The New Hampshire Attorney General’s office immediately launched an investigation into the use of force by state troopers, a standard procedure for all officer-involved shootings in the state. An autopsy was scheduled for early in the week to confirm the cause of death.

Prior Felony Warrants Linked to Suspicious Fire

Raymond Police Chief Michael Labell revealed that officers had become aware of Massie two days before the shooting following a suspicious fire at his mother’s family home. That fire prompted Raymond Police to issue active felony warrants for Massie’s arrest. His mother later told media that Massie had shot at family members with the high-powered rifle, providing crucial details that helped identify the suspect during the manhunt. The connection between the Thursday fire and Saturday’s violence remains under investigation, with authorities working to establish Massie’s motive for both incidents and determine what triggered the escalation to deadly force against family and law enforcement.

This incident underscores the grave risks officers face when responding to domestic situations that can rapidly escalate into armed confrontations. The wounded Nottingham officer’s recovery continues, while the Raymond and Nottingham communities process the violent events that disrupted their peaceful Saturday. The use-of-force investigation by the Attorney General’s office will examine whether troopers followed proper protocols when engaging the armed suspect in the woods. As authorities continue piecing together Massie’s actions over those critical three days, the case serves as a stark reminder of how quickly family disputes can transform into life-threatening encounters for first responders and entire communities.