OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine — A man from Limerick who police say was armed with an "AR-style" rifle Tuesday night outside a grocery store in Old Orchard Beach was shot and killed by a Maine State Police trooper.
Earlier in the evening, a female reportedly called emergency dispatchers around 6:30 p.m. about a man in a black Escalade at a Maine Turnpike rest area in Kennebunk who was believed to be armed with an assault-style rifle and was making suicidal threats, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss said in a news release.
The caller also said that the man, who police have identified as 38-year-old Christopher Harriman of Limerick, was reportedly threatening to harm others.
Maine State Police responded to the area, but Harriman had already left. According to the release, the caller continued communications with officials and provided them with more details on his possible location.
State police and law enforcement officials with Old Orchard Beach and Saco then said they responded to the area that was described by the caller and were able to locate Harriman, who managed to evade officials and led them on what was described as a "slow speed pursuit" that ended at the parking lot of Landry's Shop 'n Save grocery store in Old Orchard Beach.
"As he was failing to stop for law enforcement, he pointed the firearm out the window towards officers," the release stated.
An employee told NEWS CENTER Maine around 8:30 p.m. that the store was in lockdown, with nobody coming in or out of the building. The employee said they saw a man with a large gun being surrounded by police in the parking lot.
According to the release, law enforcement attempted negotiations with Harriman.
Harriman then got out of his vehicle and was standing outside when police said he "reached in his vehicle, grabbed his rifle, and chambered a round" and at that time was shot and killed by Trooper Ryan Phillips.
Phillips has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard protocol in police shootings, which is being investigated by the Maine attorney general's office.
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