Man killed in Portland police shooting after string of crashes, armed vehicle thefts
A man was shot and killed by Portland police Thursday night after authorities said he threatened workers with a gun, stole vehicles at gunpoint and led officers on a pursuit that ended at the Casco Bay Lines terminal.
PORTLAND, Maine —
A man was shot and killed by Portland police Thursday night after authorities said he threatened workers with a gun, stole vehicles at gunpoint and led officers on a pursuit that ended at the Casco Bay Lines terminal.
Portland police identified the man as 37-year-old Jacob Hastings.
Police said the incident began around 9:32 p.m., when they received reports of gunfire near Spring and Oak streets. Officers responded but did not find anyone.
A short time later, dispatchers received a report of a shirtless man armed with a gun threatening employees at Nova Seafood on Commercial Street, according to police.
Police said Hastings left before officers arrived, fleeing in a stolen pickup truck. Operations staff at Nova Seafood said it was one of their work trucks that was stolen. Authorities then received several reports of crashes and vehicles being stolen at gunpoint.
Officers eventually located Hastings on Congress Street and pursued the vehicle. Police said Hastings drove down Franklin Arterial before crashing near Casco Bay Lines.
The high-speed chase was witnessed by several residents in Portland who posted videos on social media wondering what the increased police activity was for.
“I’ve never seen so much police presence in my life,” said Alana Reali, a witness, in an interview with Maine’s Total Coverage. “I was making sure no one got hit because he was going so fast.”
According to police, the suspect then ran into the outdoor terminal area as officers followed him and gave him commands.
Police claim that Hastings did not follow those commands, reached into his waistband and put his hands toward officers as though he had a firearm. Officers then shot him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said a firearm was later recovered from one of the stolen vehicles. The department did not clarify whether Hastings was carrying a gun when officers shot him.
Maine’s Total Coverage and 8 Investigates have confirmed that Hastings had a long criminal history and was, at least at one point in time, a member of the Aryan Nations white supremacy group.
Officers Anthony George, Jordin Jackson and Greg Ishihara were placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure following a deadly use-of-force incident.
The Maine Attorney General’s Office will investigate the shooting, as it does with all incidents in which a law enforcement officer uses deadly force.
Portland Police had a section of the Ocean Gateway terminal blocked off with crime scene tape. According to the operations manager of Casco Bay Lines, the increased police presence is not impacting ferry service.