The police-involved shooting death of a man in Waterville last year has been ruled justified.
Eric Porter, 32, was reportedly threatening people with a knife at the Best Western hotel on Feb. 11, 2021, according to the Maine attorney general’s office.
When Waterville police arrived, they ordered Porter to drop the knife and surrender.
Porter then ran at an officer with the knife over his head. That’s when another officer opened fire, killing Porter.
Officers reportedly used “pepperball” launchers on Porter but they had no apparent effect, the attorney general’s office said. An officer reportedly tried to use a stun gun as well, but it also did not work properly because of Porter’s thick winter jacket.
After a review, the attorney general’s office ruled that the officer acted in defense of fellow officers and that the use of deadly force was justified.