Latanowich Gets Life In Prison For Murdering Police Sgt. Gannon

YARMOUTH, MA — A Somerville man who fatally shot-and-killed Yarmouth police Sgt. Sean Gannon was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of second-degree murder Friday.

Thomas Latanowich, 32, shot and killed Sgt. Sean Gannon and wounded his K-9 partner Nero in the attic of a Marstons Mills home on April 12, 2018. Gannon and six other officers were serving a warrant at the home when Latanowich opened fire, shooting Gannon in the head and hitting Nero in the face and neck, prosecutors said.

Nero recovered from his injuries.

Latanowich, a career criminal with more than 100 charges at the time of the shooting, was also found guilty of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, using a firearm in commission of a felony, possession of a firearm without an FID card, possession of ammunition with an FID card and mistreating a police dog.

Latanowich received a 10 to 15-year sentence for the other charges, which will run consecutively with his life sentence. He will be eligible for parole after 25 years.

Prosecutors wanted to convict Latanowich on a first-degree murder charge. Latanowich's attorney Joseph Krowski has long maintained the charge should be reduced to second-degree murder.

At the start of the trial, Krowski said his client did not know Gannon was a police officer when he shot him, WHDH reported. Krowski said Latanowich feared it was someone else he had a previous dispute with. Prosecutors Latanowich was hiding in the attic, and police announced themselves and gave several warnings, prior to him opening fire.

Following Friday's verdict, Gannon's family released a statement that read in part, "While we are disappointed in the verdict, the fact remains that our Sean is dead."

"We are completely grateful and extend our heartfelt thanks to the many members of our communities that have reached out to our family in myriad ways throughout these past three years," the family's statement read. "Their support has been the steel in our spine: you will never be forgotten. Now, we must continue to honor Sean’s legacy of service. We will do so through the Sean M. Gannon Memorial Fund as we attempt to make our world a better and safer place. Our family will make no further statements. We need time to quietly reflect and heal."