On the evening of December 30, 2004, Master Police Officer Peter J. Lavery, a 47-year-old White male, responded to a domestic disturbance call at a residence on Mountain View Drive in Newington, Connecticut. Lavery, a 17-year veteran of the Newington Police Department, was met at the home by a woman who had visible injuries. The woman informed the officers that her boyfriend was in the basement of the house.
As Officer Lavery began to descend the basement stairs to locate the suspect, he
was ambushed. The suspect, identified as Bruce Carrier, a former state corrections officer, opened fire with a high-powered assault rifle, striking Lavery multiple times. The other officer on the scene was able to get the female victim to safety and call for backup. The initial gunfire proved to be fatal for Officer Lavery, who was believed to be the first Newington police officer killed in the line of duty.
Following the shooting of Officer Lavery, Carrier barricaded himself in the basement, leading to a lengthy standoff with law enforcement that lasted for approximately 15 hours. Tactical teams surrounded the home, and negotiators attempted to make contact with Carrier, but he eventually stopped responding. Authorities used various methods, including tear gas and flooding the basement, to try and force him out. When officers finally entered the residence, they found both Officer Lavery and Bruce Carrier deceased. It was determined that Carrier had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. No arrests were made as the sole suspect took his own life.
