The Maine Attorney General’s Office has issued their report on a shooting by Gorham Police Officer, Dean Hannon, from 2019. Kyle Needham, 32, was shot by Officer Hannon in the Burger King parking lot off Main Street.

Needham and his girlfriend had been eating at Burger King when someone allegedly recognized him and called the police. Needham and his girlfriend ran to his truck and got in. Officers told Needham to turn off the vehicle and show his hands but Needham failed to do so. Needham was wanted on warrants from a high-speed chase as well as probation violations.

Needham ignored repeated commands to stop and accelerated in an attempt to flee. When Officer Hannon shot Needham, he reasonably believed that Needham was operating his truck in a manner likely to inflict death or serious bodily injury on Sgt. Nathan Theriault.

Video from the police cruiser showed when Needham backed up his truck, the open passenger door hit Officer Theriault, knocking him to the ground. Officer Hannon lost sight of Officer Theriault and believed that Theriault was at imminent risk of death or serious bodily injury because Theriault had been standing in the only path of escape available to Needham. Additionally, the area was congested with civilian drivers and pedestrians who were also at risk.

Needham’s girlfriend told the Portland Press Herald in June 2019 that “the shooting was unnecessary as Needham never wanted to hurt anyone.” Needham died of a single gunshot wound to the chest. An autopsy also found Needham had ingested methamphetamine. Officer Hannon remains at the Gorham Police Department.

Under Maine law, an officer is authorized to use deadly force when he or she believes it is necessary for self-defense or to defend others.