PITTSFIELD — A man who died last month in an armed confrontation with police suffered gunshot wounds to the head, neck and chest, according to preliminary autopsy results from the state medical examiner’s office.
Gregory Lasselle, 27, of Pittsfield, died Feb. 25 after a 12-hour standoff with police at his home. A statement from Maine State Police at the time said two troopers were involved in an “armed confrontation” with Lasselle that led to his death. But state police have declined to say whether the troopers fired on Lasselle and caused his death. The department also hasn’t explained what occurred at the home that apparently led the troopers to use deadly force.
The state Office of Chief Medical Examiner performed the autopsy and confirmed this week that Lasselle died of multiple gunshot wounds. The manner of death was listed as homicide, according to Lindsey Chasteen, office administrator for the department.
Shannon Moss, the spokesperson for state police, was asked this week if troopers fired on Lasselle but she directed questions to the Maine attorney general’s office, which is investigating the incident.
Nicole Sacre, a spokesperson for the attorney general, declined to comment and said no information would be provided about Lasselle’s death because of an ongoing investigation.
Since 1990, every police shooting in Maine, numbering more than 170, has been deemed legally justified by the attorney general’s office, the Portland Press Herald reported in January.
The Morning Sentinel previously filed an open records request with the attorney general’s office requesting body camera footage from officers who interacted with Lasselle in the hours before his death. Jonathan Bolton, the public access officer for the office, said no records exist that are “responsive to your request.” Maine State Police are working to acquire body cameras but troopers do not currently have them.
A state police tactical team responded to Lasselle’s home along with Pittsfield police and Somerset County sheriff’s deputies.
The decision by authorities not to reveal elementary information about the shooting, or even to explain whether troopers fired on Lasselle, differs from other fatal police shootings in recent months. For instance, a 37-year-old woman was shot and killed in an encounter with police Feb. 28 and authorities in a matter of days said a Topsham officer was the one who fatally shot her.
The day before Lasselle’s death, his parents had contacted Pittsfield police concerned about his “state of mind,” acting Pittsfield police Chief Marty Cochran said earlier. Officers attempted to contact Lasselle by phone and in-person but were unsuccessful.
Lasselle’s parents went to his home on Detroit Road the next day and a domestic disturbance ensued, drawing the law enforcement response.
Lasselle’s parents were able to safely leave the residence as the standoff with police unfolded.
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