WESTBROOK — A Westbrook police officer shot a 26-year-old Westbrook man who was armed with a handgun and threatening suicide early Saturday morning.
Sean Grossman, who was shot in the face, was listed in serious condition Saturday night at Maine Medical Center in Portland. His injuries are not life-threatening, police said.
108 Longfellow Street
The shooting took place at 108 Longfellow St.
Westbrook Police Chief Janine Roberts said three officers responded to the scene at 5:56 a.m. after the department received a call about a man armed with a handgun who was threatening suicide.
Roberts said Grossman was in a physical confrontation with Detective Daniel Violette when Officer Benjamin Hall shot Grossman.
The incident took place outside the property, which includes a sprawling antique white clapboard home with multiple brick chimneys and at least three residential units inside. Police said Grossman could be charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon in connection with the incident.
Roberts said police also will charge Grossman with domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening, domestic violence terrorizing, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping, and violation of conditional release on an operating under the influence of alcohol charge by the Windham Police Department in connection with a series of incidents between 1:30 and 5:30 a.m. Saturday. Roberts said Saturday evening that she could not provide more information about the domestic violence charges because the investigation was still pending.
Grossman had run-ins with Westbrook police in the past and was convicted of criminal use of disabling chemicals and assault in 2011, disorderly conduct in 2010 and theft in 2008, police said.
Roberts said Hall had never before shot anyone in the line of duty. As is standard procedure, he will be placed on administrative leave until he is cleared psychologically to return to work, she said.
A section of Longfellow Street, which is a couple of blocks from the downtown area, was blocked off for part of the day Saturday as police investigated at the scene.
The neighborhood appeared empty Saturday morning in the rain.
Barbara Sawyer, who lives nearby, described the neighborhood as quiet. Sawyer, who was delivering coffee and doughnuts to police officers at the scene to express her appreciation for their efforts, said she did not know anyone living at 108 Longfellow St.
“We saw what was going on and that it was a raw morning and decided to help out with coffee,” Sawyer said.
The Maine Attorney General’s Office is investigating the police-involved shooting, as is standard in such cases. The Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office is also helping with the investigation, Roberts said.
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