Was deadly force really needed in the killing of Stephen McKinney?

The article in the newspaper dated April 13 stated, “Police were called to 2 Searsport Way in Windham about 6:15 a.m. after getting a call from the wife of Stephen McKinney, saying her husband was suicidal.” The article goes on to say that after two Windham police officers and the sheriff’s deputy made several attempts to get McKinney to drop the gun he was carrying when he emerged from his garage, Deputy Nicholas Mangino opened fire with two shots, one of which killed McKinney.

I fully believe that any officer facing a deadly threat to themselves or others has no choice but to fire, with the aim of bringing the threat to an end.

I wasn’t there to witness the outcome, but from what I have read, the threat could have been resolved with non-deadly action. That is, wounding McKinney so as to remove the threat and not go for the deadly shot. Let’s examine.

McKinney’s wife had called the police advising that her husband was acting suicidal. Wouldn’t that tell the police that possibly a negotiation was in line, for McKinney wanted to die at the hands of the police. A senior officer should have been on site before any shots were fired.

I have doubts that the Maine attorney general’s office will find the shooting unjustified.

Maybe the Police Academy needs to address the pulling of the weapon, and the attorney general’s office get a second review from an outside committee.

Norman L. Mitchell Sr.Winslow

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