Suspect accused of shooting officer in Raymond, NH is dead
Suspect’s mother says he suffered from mental health issues
Good evening. I’m Major Brendan Davey with the New Hampshire State Police Operations Bureau. I’m joined here by Chief Labelle of the Raymond Police Department and members of other local, federal, uh, and county law enforcement officers. We’re here to give an update on the ongoing search for an armed subject wanted for shooting *** law enforcement officer earlier this afternoon. First and foremost, we want to give our best wishes, uh, to the officer who was shot this afternoon, and we offer all of our support to him and to his family. Just after 1:30 p.m. today, law enforcement was called to *** home on Ham Road for reports of *** man that was shooting at his family members. Officers responded and upon making contact, were fired upon by the subject. At which point an officer with the Nottingham Police Department was struck. He suffered serious but non life threatening injuries and was transported to *** local hospital. His name is being withheld at this time pending the ongoing investigation. The gunman ran from that scene, uh, into *** wooded area, and additional law enforcement personnel responded to set *** perimeter around that area in an effort to contain the suspect. Our search area is focused to *** large parcel of wooded land bounded generally by Ham Road, Nottingham Road, also known as Route 156, Route 27, and Blake Road in Epping. Scores of law enforcement resources are in the area and the manhunt is very active and will remain so until the suspect is taken into custody. We can now announce that we have identified the suspect. He is Matthew J. Massey. He’s 38 years old. He’s from Raymond, New Hampshire. He’s *** white male, 5 ft 11 inches tall. 202 pounds with black hair and hazel eyes. We have his photograph here and we’d like for you and the public to be familiarized with this gentleman. He was last known to be on foot and was armed with *** long gun. Anyone who sees *** subject matching this description. In the area of concern or anywhere within reach of *** few hours of walking on foot, should call 911 immediately. Again, he is to be considered armed and dangerous, and we would ask that no one from the public take any direct action with him. And instead call law enforcement. We know this incident has caused anxiety in the public, and we want everyone to be assured that we’re utilizing all available resources, which are substantial to take this suspect into custody. Numerous resources from the New Hampshire State Police, including our Investigative Services Bureau, tactical resources, and scores of federal, county, and local law enforcement agencies have been deployed to assist in this active operation. It’s all hands on deck, and it will remain ongoing until we have this suspect in custody. We’re continuing to ask residents in the area of concern to shelter in place. Ensure your vehicles and your homes are locked, keys are taken inside. And maintain *** level of heightened awareness. We’re asking all others to avoid the area. We’ve set up *** tip line, the number for our tip line, if you have information that would lend to the resolution of this event and the solution, uh, to the investigation, we’d certainly appreciate that. The number is 603-628-8477. That spells out 603 MCU TIPS for our Major Crime Unit. That’s 603-628-8477. This lines for information that will help us, uh, to solve the case, to locate the suspect. It’s not for an imminent threat. Something goes on at your house, you call 911. So far, we’ve issued various forms of public messaging, including our social media, reverse 911, and emergency mobile alerts. We’ll continue to use those platforms and we appreciate the support of the media in helping us to get the word out on this dangerous individual. Please continue to follow our social media and know that, um, You can call, uh, 911, the TIPS line or New Hampshire State Police headquarters at 603-223-4381 at any time. And that’s, that’s the, uh, information that we have at this time. Do you believe that the suspect is still in the area? And also how difficult is it now because it’s nighttime to look for the suspect? You know, you had 4 or 5 hours while it was light out. Will you be using thermal imaging from the helicopter or? How do you go through the night? Sure, uh, we’ll be using every means necessary, including technological, uh, animals. Obviously we have canines at our disposal. We have aerial assets as well, and we’ll be bringing every resource to bear. Major, we, we spoke with the, the mother of the suspect, and, and she told us that, uh, for days she had been telling local authorities that her son was armed and dangerous and had set fire to their home, uh, and was on the run and that not enough local resources were allocated to find him. Do you have any comment on that? Um, actually, for that, I would defer to the chief, uh, Chief, if you have *** comment on that. Yeah, thank you for the question. Um, yeah, the Rain Police Department was made aware of, uh, this individual based off of ***, uh, incident that occurred two days ago. Um, since that time, we’ve been working, uh, feverishly, uh, with other agencies and attempting to locate him. Uh, we followed up several leads, uh, to include yesterday deploying the, uh, special operations unit in an area where we thought he may be. Uh, unfortunately, uh, that led us to nothing. Um, until today when we got some more, uh, solid information, she had mentioned that drones were being used as *** part of that search. Is that correct? What, what sort of resources were being used by, by your department to try to find them? Yeah, that is correct. The same sort of resources that we have deployed, uh, right now, um, drones, uh, the special operations unit. Um, in mutual aid agencies, Chief, can you confirm what the mother said that he, that he actually did try to set the home on fire? Is that what you were told initially as well? So based on *** prior, uh, investigation from two days ago, we do have active felony warrants for this gentleman based on that incident. That fire. Correct. Do you believe he intentionally set that fire? We don’t know that yet. We saw you say how we got that gun? We’re not sure yet. We saw the big police presence that was there today. Do you have *** number of how many departments or approximately how many officers were, were there today? I wish I could give you *** number, but I don’t. We have deployed, uh, all hands on deck, as the major said. Chief, can you help us understand, um, so when your officers in Nottingham arrived on the scene today, he was shooting from inside the house, uh, arriving officers being met by gunfire. Can you sort of elaborate on how that all happened? So I can’t confirm that that’s still part of the active investigation. What I can say is that officers were setting up *** perimeter, uh, when some of the action occurred, and they began dodging bullets. I’m not sure. I wasn’t on scene at the time. So one more question. Can you share anything about the officer that was injured? Is he *** veteran of the force? Is he *** rookie, anything? So he is an officer with the Nottingham, New Hampshire Police Department and he is *** veteran officer. Thanks everyone. Can we just get their names, the spellings of their names, both of them. I’m sorry. Sure, my, uh, name is Chief Michael Labell, L *** B E L L. Thank you. My name is Brendan Davey and that’s uh B R E N D *** N. Last name is spelled D *** V E Y. Major. Yes, sir. Thank you. Thank you.
Suspect accused of shooting officer in Raymond, NH is dead
Suspect’s mother says he suffered from mental health issues
Updated: 12:51 AM EDT Apr 5, 2026
The suspect wanted in the shooting of a New Hampshire police officer and other felonies has been shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with police. Matthew J. Masse, 38, of Raymond, was the subject of an “active manhunt” that began following a shooting at 2 p.m. Saturday in the area of Ham Road. New Hampshire State Police said he was last seen on foot and carrying a long gun. Officers made contact with Masse in a wooded area around 10 p.m. Saturday, when they attempted to take him into custody. There was an exchange of gunfire between Masse and the officers. Following that exchange, Masse was found dead. An autopsy is scheduled for early this week to determine Mr. Masse’s cause and manner of death. Raymond police said Masse was the subject of active felony warrants stemming from an incident that occurred two days ago. They did not specify the nature of that incident. Officer injured in shootingRaymond police say they started receiving 911 calls just after 1:30 p.m. about a man firing gunshots at his family members.When officers responded, the suspect began shooting at them, with one officer being hit and injured by gunfire. The gunman ran from the scene.The wounded officer, a member of the Nottingham Police Department, was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.Suspect’s mother speaks outWCVB-TV sister station WMUR-TV spoke to the mother of the gunman, who said that her son, 38, suffers from severe mental health issues. She also said that her family members went to check on her son Saturday afternoon, when he started shooting at them with a high-powered rifle. No one was hurt.The mother said that a fire in her home was considered suspicious.Police have asked residents in the area of Ham and Nottingham roads in Raymond to shelter in place until further notice and to anticipate a large police presence. State police said the search area is focused on a “large parcel of wooded land.”Nearby Route 27 was shut down due to police activity.An automated message was sent to residents by NH 911 to shelter in place, Raymond police said. Drivers and pedestrians have been asked to avoid the area. Raymond is approximately 16 miles east of Manchester.
RAYMOND, N.H. —
The suspect wanted in the shooting of a New Hampshire police officer and other felonies has been shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with police.
Matthew J. Masse, 38, of Raymond, was the subject of an “active manhunt” that began following a shooting at 2 p.m. Saturday in the area of Ham Road. New Hampshire State Police said he was last seen on foot and carrying a long gun.
Officers made contact with Masse in a wooded area around 10 p.m. Saturday, when they attempted to take him into custody. There was an exchange of gunfire between Masse and the officers. Following that exchange, Masse was found dead.
An autopsy is scheduled for early this week to determine Mr. Masse’s cause and manner of death.
Raymond police said Masse was the subject of active felony warrants stemming from an incident that occurred two days ago. They did not specify the nature of that incident.
Officer injured in shooting
Raymond police say they started receiving 911 calls just after 1:30 p.m. about a man firing gunshots at his family members.
When officers responded, the suspect began shooting at them, with one officer being hit and injured by gunfire. The gunman ran from the scene.
The wounded officer, a member of the Nottingham Police Department, was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Suspect’s mother speaks out
WCVB-TV sister station WMUR-TV spoke to the mother of the gunman, who said that her son, 38, suffers from severe mental health issues.
She also said that her family members went to check on her son Saturday afternoon, when he started shooting at them with a high-powered rifle. No one was hurt.
The mother said that a fire in her home was considered suspicious.
Police have asked residents in the area of Ham and Nottingham roads in Raymond to shelter in place until further notice and to anticipate a large police presence. State police said the search area is focused on a “large parcel of wooded land.”
Nearby Route 27 was shut down due to police activity.
An automated message was sent to residents by NH 911 to shelter in place, Raymond police said. Drivers and pedestrians have been asked to avoid the area.
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Raymond is approximately 16 miles east of Manchester.