PORTLAND, Maine — A man in Portland who died of an apparent suicide Friday, when Gorham detectives were attempting to serve court papers at his home, recently had firearms taken away from him, Portland police said Friday evening in a news release.
Portland police reportedly sought and received a weapons restriction under Maine's yellow flag law on the man who was taken into protective custody on Nov. 26, according to a news release.
"Several firearms were taken from him at that time, and he was prohibited from possessing any dangerous weapons," police said in the release.
Just a couple of weeks later, Gorham police detectives were standing outside his residence on Allen Avenue around 10:30 a.m. Friday when they reported hearing an apparent gunshot inside and called local law enforcement for backup.
Roads in the area were closed off to traffic, and a shelter in place order was issued for people in the area while police attempted to communicate with the individual. Portland police responded along with the Special Reaction Team, Crisis Negotiators Team, as well as at least one police dog unit and assistance from the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office.
Public schools in the area were notified, but they did not go into lockdown.
Robots were sent into the residence but were unable to go up the stairs, so a police dog was deployed, which found the man's body on the second floor at about 3 p.m.
Portland Interim Assistant Police Chief Robert Martin emphasized the Gorham detectives were not serving arrest or search warrants at the time, just court documents.
Initial investigation suggests the man died of an apparent suicide, but the official cause and manner of death will be determined following an autopsy by the state medical examiner's office. Police also said Friday the family would be notified of his death.
Police ask that anyone with information that may assist in their investigation to call them at 207-874-8575.
Maine's yellow flag law has been widely criticized in the weeks following Maine's deadliest shooting Oct. 25, when shooter Robert Card shot and killed 18 people and injured many others at a bowling alley and restaurant in Lewiston.
According to previous reporting by the Associated Press, the intent behind Maine's yellow flag law is to restrict access to firearms for individuals who may be at risk of harming themselves or others by placing them on temporary protective custody and weapons restrictions.