The man who was killed in a police-involved shooting Friday evening was identified by the office of the Maine Attorney General Saturday morning.
Marc Malon, a spokesman for the A.G.’s office identified the man killed as Kyle Needham, 32, of Standish. Malon also released the name of the officer who shot him outside the Burger King restaurant as Gorham Police Officer Dean Hannon.
Malon said Hannon has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the Attorney General’s investigation of the shooting and whether it was legally justified, which is standard practice, he said.
Needham who was wanted on multiple warrants was fatally shot in Gorham Friday evening while he was trying to escape police in a truck.
Needham also used the truck to ram at least one police cruiser in an attempt to escape the scene. He was shot when it appeared to officials that another officer was in danger of being run over by the truck.
Hannon has used deadly force before. According to a list of officer-involved shootings from the Attorney General's office, Hannon was involved in a police chase with a man who escaped from the scene of a fatal shooting in Saco.
Hannon helped in the chase for Andy Luong. During the chase, Hannon heard over radio traffic that Luong may have a gun in the car. When he finally stopped the car, Hannon said he "felt vulnerable to gunfire from the occupant(s) of the Mercury from his position behind his cruiser." After hearing a gunshot from the car, Hannon took out his gun, and fired at the car. An Attorney General's investigation found that Hannon's three shots did not hit Luong or the car: Luong died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head from the AK-47 rifle he had with him.
According to a 2015 Portland Press Herald article, Officer Hannon was found in violation of the department's domestic abuse and professional conduct policies, as well as the town’s personnel policy, and was placed on a one-day unpaid leave on April 18, 2012.
Hannon said he fought the order in court, and it was dismissed by a judge, according to the Press Herald.