Recently the Press Herald reported that officials in Augusta were unable to pinpoint the source of a “foul odor” in their city. Not to worry, I discovered its source. It’s the stench of the Maine Deadly Force Review Panel’s recent report on the nonfatal 2019 shooting of Robert Farrington by Augusta Police Officer Sabastian Guptill.

From the beginning, this case reeked of police coverup. In a news conference, Chief Jared Mills of the Augusta Police said the shooting occurred during an armed confrontation inside the home. That was not true.

Here’s the truth: Officer Guptill was outside the home when he shot Mr. Farrington. Guptill was outside, in the middle of the night, knocking on windows. He did not announce himself as a police officer before he did so and had no warrant. Mr. Farrington, awakened by his girlfriend, feared he was being robbed, grabbed a pistol and looked out his sliding glass door. Guptill, seeing Mr. Farrington inside the house with a gun, shot Mr. Farrington through the door. Guptill said he shot in “self defense.” In fact, Mr. Farrington was the one “defending himself.”

If the Second Amendment doesn’t protect the right of a Mainer to defend himself from intruders on his property in the middle of the night, what good is it? And if police continue to refuse to admit their mistakes, they will never earn the trust and respect of the citizens of Maine.

Erwin Rupert
Scarborough

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