The Shooting of a Man Ocurred in Front of This Subway Sandwich Shop on St. John Street.

Late this morning Chance David Baker, 22, of Portland was shot at the Union Station Plaza on the west end of Portland.  He later died at Maine Medical Center according to a press release issued late this evening by Assistant Chief Vern Malloch.

Portland Police responded to 911 calls this morning about 11:10 am that Mr. Baker was walking through the parking lot of Union Station Plaza.  He was “screaming and pointing a gun” at cars according to the press release.  Officers heard conflicting reports that the weapon Mr. Baker was carrying was a shotgun, rifle or a BB gun. Police found the deceased brandishing the weapon in front of the Subway Sandwich Shop. Mr. Baker was shot on the sidewalk outside the door of the Subway Shop by an unidentified police officer.  The press release did not indicate how many times the deceased was shot and where. An investigation later confirmed that the “weapon” the deceased was carrying was a rifle style pellet gun with a wooden stock and scope.

The officer has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by AG Janet Mills.  There will also be an internal investigation conducted to see if more training is required.  The Portland Police Officer who shot the deceased is not being identified at this time in order to allow him to inform his family members.

Note:  Assistant Chief Malloch has not responded to multiple email (five) inquiries from mhn.com as to how many times Mr. Baker was shot and where he was shot. As always, press releases can be very “bare bones” and leave out many details of interest to the public.

^UPDATE: 2/19/17 –   A witnesses to the shooting who was working in the area told mhn.com today that the Portland police told the deceased to put down his weapon; the pellet gun.   He did that.  Then he took a drink from a bottle that appears to be of alcoholic content.  Next he picked the gun back up.  That is when the police officer shot him.  The pellet gun was purchased by the deceased at the nearby Coastal Trading Company.  Later he went back in and tried to get them to buy the pellet gun back, but they would not buy it back.