Old Town Shooting Follow-Up

On Monday, April 13, 2020,  at approximately 3 p.m., Troopers from Troop J responded to a report of a burglary in Surry.

Their investigation determined a white Honda Pilot SUV had also been stolen from the scene. Through their
investigation, Troopers developed Thomas A. Powell III, 31, of Old Town as a suspect. A statewide teletype was broadcast with the information on the stolen SUV.

Old Town Police checked the residence where Powell lived during the evening and around midnight, Officers found the Honda parked at Powell’s residence at 28 Bodwell St. Subsequent to the arrival of the SUV, Old Town Police received a call reporting gun shots in the area of that address Old Town and State Police established a perimeter around the residence, secured search and arrest warrants for Powell and did a limited evacuation of adjacent residences. State Police Crisis Negotiators and the Tactical Team were sent to the scene EMS personnel were also staged a short distance from the scene.

Around 2:30 a.m., officers made attempts to contact Powell through a PA system and got no response. Attempts to contact Powell remained unsuccessful until approximately 8:30 a.m., when Powell briefly appeared in a doorway and fired shots from a rifle at officers before retreating back into the residence. A few minutes later Powell again exited the home and an armed confrontation resulted in Powell being shot and killed by State Police. The incident ended just before 8:40 a.m.

The Troopers using deadly force were Trooper Garret Booth and Detective Scott Duff -- both members of
the Tactical Team. As with all police use of deadly force cases, the Maine Attorney General’s Office is the primary investigating agency.

The two State Police officers have been placed on administrative leave with pay, which is normal protocol in these cases.