PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Office of the Attorney General said in a report released Friday that a Presque Isle police sergeant who shot and killed a 27-year-old man in Presque Isle in June acted in self-defense and the defense of others.
Sgt. Tyler Cote shot and killed Jacob Poitraw of Presque Isle on June 5, 2022.
The incident started the night before, on June 4, when Cote responded to a report that Poitraw had threatened two people with an AR-15. Cote was unable to locate Poitraw that night and into the morning.
On June 5, officers were able to locate the truck Poitraw was driving, which was registered to his late father, according to officials. Poitraw was also seen on surveillance video at the Presque Isle Walmart, driving a different truck than the one he was driving the night before.
Cote spoke with Poitraw's mother around 4:45 p.m. on June 5, and she reported that Poitraw had attempted to take his own life that weekend, leading his girlfriend to administer Narcan to him. She told Cote that Poitraw had been upset over the deaths of his father and brother, and she was concerned Poitraw may have an AR-15 in his possession, according to the attorney general's report.
The attorney general's report said Poitraw called the Presque Isle Police Department around 6:30 p.m. on June 5 and told them they should have a SWAT team ready because he was coming to the department. Shortly after, Cote and Presque Isle Police Sgt. Lucas Hafford parked near an apartment complex where Poitraw had been known to stay. Hafford left about 15 minutes later and, soon after that, Cote spotted the truck Poitraw was driving.
Attorney General Aaron Frey concluded that Cote "reasonably believed Mr. Poitraw was driving the truck in a manner likely to inflict death or serious bodily injury" on Cote or others, according to the report.
Frey said it was reasonable for Cote to believe Poitraw may shoot at him based on the previous reports that Poitraw had an AR-15 in his possession. he also said Poitraw's use of deadly force with his truck showed "he was willing to act recklessly without regard to the value of human life."
CLICK HERE to read the attorney general's full report.