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February 14

AG: Belfast officer justified in using deadly force

The Associated Press

AUGUSTA — Maine's attorney general has ruled that a Belfast police officer was justified in using deadly force when he shot and seriously wounded a 26-year-old man who was armed with a shotgun and refused to heed orders to put his hands up.

A report released today concluded that it was reasonable for Officer Daniel Fitzpatrick to use deadly force to protect himself when he shot Benjamin Thompson, of Swanville, in his abdomen and leg shortly before midnight on June 8, 2011.

Attorney General William Schneider's report said Fitzpatrick fired four shots when Thompson got out of his vehicle and ran after leading police on a chase from a nearby town.

Schneider said when Thompson was arrested, he had a cocked and loaded shotgun and implored the arresting officers to kill him.

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