ROCHESTER, N.H. (WHDH) - The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office has identified the four officers involved in a Rochester shootout that led to the death of one man.
State troopers Haden Wilber and Nathaniel Goodwin, along with Rochester Police Detective Geoff Moore and Officer Michael Lambert, fired at 38-year-old Douglas Heath on Aug. 20 after a car pursuit came to a crashing end in the area of Oak Street and Route 125, Attorney General Gordon MacDonald said.
On Aug. 15, Rochester police issued a briefing form indicating they had credible information that Heath was staying at a location in the city, that he may be in possession of three firearms, and he had no intention of going to jail, authorities said. Police also indicated that Heath had several warrants, including one for trafficking narcotics and another for fleeing from Maine State Police.
On Aug. 20, at about 3 p.m., police located Heath’s car and a short time later, they pursued the vehicle.
Heath’s car crashed around 3:15 p.m. at the intersection of Oak Street and Route 125, according to officials.
As he exited the vehicle from the passenger’s side, an exchange of gunfire reportedly occurred.
Austin McKenzie says he witness Heath open fire toward the officers.
“He proceeded to get out of the passenger side, kind of rolled back, fired into the air, fired another shot towards the police cruisers and that’s basically when they opened fire,” he recalled.
Heath was struck in the exchange and died at the scene, officials said.
No officers or private citizens were physically injured during the incident.
An investigation into whether the officers’ actions were justified is ongoing.
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