Gunman Killed After Wild Standoff in NH Woods

A New Hampshire man who shot a police officer and sparked an hours-long manhunt was killed in a gunfight with state troopers after allegedly firing at his own family members, raising questions about law enforcement response times and the escalating dangers faced by officers in rural communities.

Story Snapshot

Matthew Massie, 38, shot at family members with a high-powered rifle before wounding a Nottingham police officer on April 4, 2026
A massive manhunt involving multiple agencies ended when tactical teams located Massie in woods near Raymond, New Hampshire
Massie fired at state troopers around 10:00 PM, who returned fire and killed him at the scene
The incident began just two days after police investigated a suspicious fire at Massie’s family home and issued felony warrants

Armed Suspect Targets Family and Police

Matthew J. Massie opened fire on family members at a Ham Road residence in Raymond, New Hampshire, around 1:30 PM on Saturday, April 4, 2026. When Nottingham Police Department officers responded to the domestic shooting call, Massie immediately fired at them with a long gun, seriously injuring one officer. The wounded officer was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Massie then fled on foot into nearby wooded areas, still armed and considered extremely dangerous by law enforcement.

Multi-Agency Manhunt Locks Down Rural Community

New Hampshire State Police, Raymond Police Department, and additional agencies established a perimeter around the Ham Road and Nottingham Road area, issuing shelter-in-place orders for residents. Authorities described Massie as a white male, 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 202 pounds with black hair and hazel eyes. The rural, heavily wooded terrain of Rockingham County provided cover for the fugitive, complicating search efforts. Multiple tactical teams deployed throughout the afternoon and evening, methodically searching the area while maintaining public safety protocols in this small community near the Raymond-Nottingham border.

Fatal Confrontation Ends Standoff

Around 10:00 PM on April 4, tactical teams located Massie in the woods. When troopers attempted to apprehend him, Massie fired at officers, prompting state police to return fire. The exchange left Massie dead at the scene, with a long gun recovered beside his body. Major Brendan Davey of the New Hampshire State Police confirmed the suspect fired first before officers engaged. The Attorney General’s office immediately launched an investigation into the use of force, standard protocol for all officer-involved shootings in New Hampshire. An autopsy was scheduled for early the following week to confirm the cause of death.

Prior Felony Warrants Linked to Family Fire

Raymond Police Chief Michael Labell revealed that authorities had been aware of Massie since Thursday, April 2, when investigators responded to a suspicious fire at his mother’s family home. That incident resulted in active felony warrants being issued for Massie. His mother later reported to media that her son had shot at family members with the high-powered rifle on Saturday, though miraculously no family members were injured in either the initial domestic shooting or the subsequent police confrontation. The connection between the Thursday fire and Saturday’s violent escalation remains under investigation, with authorities working to establish Massie’s motive for targeting both his family and responding officers.

The incident highlights the extreme dangers law enforcement officers face when responding to domestic violence calls, particularly in rural areas where armed suspects can easily flee into terrain that provides tactical advantages. The wounded Nottingham officer’s survival underscores the split-second decisions police must make when confronted with armed individuals willing to ambush first responders. This case demonstrates why officers approach domestic disturbance calls with heightened caution, as family disputes can rapidly escalate into deadly force situations. The swift resolution prevented further casualties, though the investigation into what drove Massie’s violent rampage continues as the community processes this traumatic event.