Fatal Shooting Of Rape Suspect By Mass. State Police Deemed Justified: NH AG

CONCORD, NH — The New Hampshire Attorney General has announced that the shooting of a sexual assault suspect from Maine earlier this year by state troopers was justified, according to a report. Michael R. Brown was shot and killed by Mass. State Police on June 15, 2017, in Newton, after a multi-hour pursuit through two states that ended in gunfire and a crash in the tiny border town. The NH AG’s Office released a 29-page report of its investigation on Aug. 23, 2017.

In the report, investigators stated that Brown was wanted after allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage girl on June 7, in Presque Isle, Maine. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Salem NH Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

A detective in Maine contacted Brown and attempted to meet with him but he allegedly fled and told his girlfriend that he was not going back to prison. A BOLO – “be on the lookout” – alert was sent out on Brown deeming him possibly suicidal.

A week later, police questioned Brown’s girlfriend who stated that he had spoken to her the night before and told her that he was no longer suicidal and had left the area. A relative also spoke to police and stated that he said that if he were caught, he expected to be killed by police but would not go down without a fight.

Brown, according to press reports in Maine, had been let out of prison earlier in the year after serving time on a kidnapping charge. He was released from prison but sent back after being arrested for domestic-violence assault, domestic-violence criminal threatening, and violating conditions of release charges.

The next day, Brown reportedly stole a Toyota Tacoma pickup and a 9 mm handgun from a relative in Westfield, ME, and another BOLO was issued requesting help finding him as well as issuing a warrant for gross sexual assault of the girl.

At around 8:30 p.m. on June 15, Brown’s cellphone was pinged in Hampton and about 90 minutes later, pinged again in Malden, MA. At just after 11 p.m., Malden Police reported that they were in pursuit of the vehicle.

“Eight minutes later, a Massachusetts State Trooper used a spike strip in an attempt to disable the stolen truck,” according to the report. “Both of the truck’s passenger side tires were shredded as a result. Mr. Brown did not stop, however, and continued to flee from the police. Mr. Brown eventually traveled onto I-495 north, where the Massachusetts State Police took over a primary role in the pursuit. Eventually, several troopers joined the pursuit as it made its way north on I-495.”

At just before 11:30 p.m., Brown reportedly began throwing items out of the pickup truck and also fired a shot from the truck. He reportedly fired more shots from the truck out of the back window a few minutes later.

Brown then approached a construction site on I-495, shut off the vehicle’s headlights, and crossed the median, driving north in the southbound lane, in an effort to lose troopers, according to the report. He continued driving this way until he reached Salisbury, MA, exiting the highway near Route 286 and a trooper attempted to stop the pickup with his cruiser. Brown fired at the trooper and the cruiser attempted to hit the truck again. Brown then fired again at the state trooper, the report alleged.

A Mass. State Police helicopter located Brown’s truck and he continued to attempt to elude troopers driving as fast as 75 mph in rural areas, refusing to stop.

At just before midnight, the pursuit entered Newton on Amesbury Road to Bear Hill Road where the pickup spun out.

“The troopers who had been pursuing Mr. Brown got out of their cruisers, with their weapons drawn,” the report stated. “(One) trooper shouted at Mr. Brown and told him to show his hands. Mr. Brown did not shut off the truck, did not step out of the truck, or in any way indicate that he was surrendering. Instead, Mr. Brown revved the truck’s motor and accelerated forward, toward several Troopers who were outside their cruisers. As Mr. Brown accelerated forward, (the) troopers shot at Mr. Brown.”

Brown then drove the truck off the road and into a tree which deployed the airbags of the vehicle. He was removed from the truck and handcuffed. When EMTs arrived, they declared him deceased at the scene.

Screenshot courtesy of Everipedia.com via Facebook.