As required by 5 M.R.S. § 200-K, the Maine Deadly Force Review Panel submits the following report of the use of deadly force incident in Old Orchard Beach on July 9, 2024, involving Trooper Ryan Phillips of the Maine State Police, which resulted in the death of Christopher Harriman, age 38. By statute, after the release of the report of the Attorney General, the Panel shall examine deaths or serious injuries resulting from the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer. The purpose of the examination is to find independently whether there was compliance with accepted and best practices under the circumstances or whether the practices require adjustment or improvement. The Panel may recommend methods to improve standards, including changes to statutes, rules, training, and policies and procedures, to ensure best practices that promote increased public and officer safety. It should be noted that the Panel’s “Observations” are case-specific bullet points that have been pulled directly from the incident case file and are primarily intended to highlight key pieces of information. The Panel’s “Recommendations” should be viewed as potential system-level issues to consider during future critical incidents. The Panel is not charged with undertaking a de novo review of the Attorney General’s determination regarding the legality of the use of deadly force by law enforcement; discussions and recommendations of the Panel are independent of the Attorney General.
Synopsis
On the evening of July 9, 2024, Saco Police and Maine State Police responded to a complaint that 38-year-old Christopher Harriman had threatened to shoot himself and others. Mr. Harriman sent images to the complainant that depicted an AR-style rifle and several loaded magazines. A Saco officer and a state trooper located Mr. Harriman at a mobile home park in Saco. When confronted by law enforcement, Mr. Harriman displayed a gun and said he was ready to die. Mr. Harriman fled from the mobile home park and was later located in a vehicle at Landry’s Plaza in Old Orchard Beach. Mr. Harriman threatened officers and displayed a rifle. Officers and a crisis negotiator attempted to convince Mr. Harriman to surrender. Negotiations continued for over thirty minutes until Mr. Harriman was observed leaning into his vehicle. The two officers next to Trooper Phillips both stated, "He's grabbing his gun," immediately following which Trooper Phillips clearly heard Mr. Harriman racking his firearm. Trooper Ryan Phillips shot Mr. Harriman, who died at the scene.
Information the Panel Reviewed
Before its September 24, 2026, meeting, the Panel members reviewed the investigative material compiled by the Attorney General. The material consisted of all the original investigative data, including interview recordings, reports, forensic reports, photographs, emergency communications, video footage, and other relevant materials. The Panel also reviewed the Attorney General’s April 5, 2025, report and the Internal Review Team's report dated March 23, 2026.
Panel Discussion
On September 24, 2026, the panel met via Zoom to review and discuss the incident in question. The discussion included Mr. Harriman's criminal history and sobriety, his privately made firearm (PMF), on-scene communication issues prompted by the use of different radio frequencies, the misfiring of another officer's rifle, and the merits of having an officer evaluated by rescue personnel following the use of deadly force.
Case Specific Observations
- The 38-year-old involved in this incident had an extensive and violent criminal history dating back to 2005. This history reflects six assault convictions, including a Domestic Violence Assault conviction on March 22, 2016.
- The suspect had been arrested and charged with Unlawful Sexual Touching on April 19, 2024, and was placed on bail, which remained in effect on the date of the incident. The bail bond did not include a firearm prohibition.
- The suspect told the police several times to "shoot me." His mother and son later advised law enforcement that the suspect had suffered from apparent mental health issues and had led a turbulent life. A witness, who had spoken with the suspect shortly before he drove to Landry's Plaza, advised police that she had talked the suspect out of committing suicide a few months before. This evidence, as well as the suspect's actions at the scene, supports an observation that he was likely seeking "suicide by cop."
- The post-mortem toxicology report demonstrated a blood alcohol content (0.18% BAC) which was more than twice the legal driving limit.
- The State Police Crime Lab identified the suspect's firearm as a privately made firearm (PMF semi-automatic pistol) with no visible serial number or other identification markings. Consistent with Trooper Phillips' report of hearing the distinct racking of an AR firearm following the shooting, investigators confirmed that there was a chambered cartridge in the suspect's pistol.
- Several police agencies responded to this incident. Unfortunately, much of the radio communication had to be conducted on different frequencies, hampering efforts. The Panel concurs with the MSP Critical Incident Review that the Department evaluate on-scene communication capabilities and identify operational channel(s) to provide greater coverage and real-time information for all on-scene personnel.
- The Panel also concurs with the Critical Incident Review recommendation that an officer using deadly force be evaluated by rescue personnel responding to the scene.
System Level Recommendations
- The Panel encourages law enforcement to work with other potential mutual aid agencies to evaluate on-scene communication capabilities to identify an operational channel which provides greater coverage allowing access to real-time information for all on-scene personnel.
- The officer(s) involved in the deadly force event should receive a follow-up health assessment.
Factual Summary
On July 9, 2024, at approximately 6:43 p.m., the Maine State Police received a request to conduct a welfare check on a suicidal man in a black Cadillac Escalade at the Kennebunk Service Plaza at Exit 25 on the northbound side of the Maine Turnpike. They received additional information that the man, later identified as Christopher Harriman, was armed with an AR-15-style rifle. While officers were responding, they learned from cellphone tracking data that Mr. Harriman had left the service plaza. They were traveling north toward Saco in the direction of a mobile home park where the caller who had requested the welfare check resided. The CAD (Computer-Assisted Dispatch) notes indicated that Mr. Harriman was suicidal, but that he had also expressed a desire to kill specific people and that he had sent a photograph of the AR-15 rifle to the caller.
A state trooper learned that there was a call for service for a suicidal man with an AR-15 rifle at the northbound Kennebunk Service Plaza. The trooper was assigned to the call and began traveling southbound on Route 1 in Saco when it was learned that Mr. Harriman's Escalade had nearly hit another trooper’s cruiser head-on. The responding trooper then saw the Escalade and pursued it into the mobile home park. Mr. Harriman stopped the Escalade several times while winding his way through the mobile home park. Each time, the trooper left her cruiser with her rifle and made commands for the driver to show his hands or get out of the vehicle.
Mr. Harriman stopped briefly at an intersection where an officer in a Saco Police Department cruiser was parked on the intersecting street, facing Mr. Harriman's route of travel. Mr. Harriman brandished an AR-15 rifle in the direction of the Saco officer. The trooper, believing that Mr. Harriman was about to shoot the Saco officer, pulled the trigger on her rifle, but it malfunctioned and failed to fire. Mr. Harriman put his rifle back in his car and accelerated down a dead-end road, then turned onto a dirt road leading into a wooded area. The pursuit ended, and a perimeter was established in case Mr. Harriman returned to their location. A request was made for assistance from the Maine State Police Tactical Team.
Trooper Ryan Phillips was on duty and heard radio traffic regarding Mr. Harriman displaying firearms in public and failing to stop for law enforcement. Trooper Phillips arrived at the mobile home park to find the officers staged at the dirt road. Soon after he joined the other officers, they received information that the cellphone tracking data now indicated that Mr. Harriman was in the parking lot of Landry's Shop n’ Save in Old Orchard Beach. The troopers all left for that location.
Trooper Phillips arrived at Shop n’ Save and reported that Mr. Harriman's Escalade was to his left. He parked his cruiser directly in front of the Escalade, which he estimated to be about 50 to 70 feet away. He was joined by other troopers, all with their rifles trained on Mr. Harriman. Trooper Phillips exited his car and yelled to Mr. Harriman repeatedly to show his hands. Mr. Harriman responded by yelling obscenities and making threats to shoot the officers. He also yelled 'shoot me' multiple times, to which Trooper Phillips responded they did not want to shoot him; they wanted to help him.
Mr. Harriman tossed two loaded rifle magazines out of the open driver's side window onto the parking lot. He then moved the Escalade, parking it at a slightly different angle to the officers. He briefly displayed his AR-15 rifle, dangling it out of the driver's side window, holding it by the top, and then putting it back on the front passenger seat.
A crisis negotiator arrived at approximately 7:54 p.m. and took over communications with Mr. Harriman. The negotiator asked Mr. Harriman if he would be willing to speak by phone, but he did not respond. He emerged from the Escalade and paced in circles, always near the driver's-side door, while talking into his cell phone. The negotiator continued the attempt to speak with him, but he ignored the requests and returned to the driver's seat of the Escalade. He exited the vehicle again, leaving the driver's side door open. The negotiator expressed appreciation for him getting out of the car and asked him to please talk with them.
At approximately 8:01 p.m., Mr. Harriman turned back to the open door of the Escalade, leaned in to retrieve the AR-15 from the passenger seat, and was observed racking the rifle to put a bullet in the chamber. Although Mr. Harriman's back was to the officers, officers can be heard on body-worn camera audio announcing, "He has a firearm in his hand" and "Firearm's in his hand." A detective observed the rifle between Mr. Harriman's legs, with the muzzle pointed at the pavement, and saw Mr. Harriman move his left elbow in a movement to load a round in the chamber. A trooper could see Mr. Harriman manipulating the rifle with both hands. Trooper Phillips observed Mr. Hamman in the doorway of his car reaching into his vehicle and heard the distinct racking of an AR rifle coming from the vehicle. He also heard other officers saying he had a firearm in his hands.
As Mr. Harriman racked the rifle, Trooper Phillips fired a single shot, causing Mr. Harriman to fall onto the pavement. After members of the Maine State Police Tactical Team arrived, the officers approached Mr. Harriman and determined that he was dead. Trooper Phillips later told investigators that he shot Mr. Harriman because he feared that Mr. Harriman would turn and start shooting at him, other officers in the area, or bystanders who had congregated in the area. Mr. Harriman's AR-15 rifle was found between his legs, the muzzle resting on the pavement. There was one cartridge in the chamber and 30 cartridges in the magazine.
An autopsy and postmortem examination conducted by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner determined that Mr. Harriman died from a single gunshot wound to the upper right side of his back. A toxicology examination revealed that Mr. Harriman’s ethanol level was 0.18%.
Current Panel Members
(Four Vacancies)
Stephen Burlock, Esq., Assistant District Attorney (Retired), Chair
Benjamin Strick, Vice President of Adult Behavioral Health, Spurwink, Vice Chair
Michael Alpert, Greater Bangor Area Branch NAACP
John Chapman, Esq.
Jack Clements, Chief of Police, Saco
Sandra Slemmer, designee of Alice J. Briones, D.O., Chief Medical Examiner
Anna Love, Chief, Attorney General Investigations
Joel Merry, Sheriff, Sagadahoc County
Joshua Daley, designee of Lincoln Ryder, Director, Maine Criminal Justice Academy
Michael Sauschuck, Commissioner, Department of Public Safety
Fernand LaRochelle, Citizen Member
Note: The individuals serving on the Panel are appointed to apply their professional expertise to discussions of these complex cases. Therefore, members of the Panel may be familiar with or have contact with individuals involved in the case under review. In such cases, members must report these affiliations to the Panel, and this information is recorded in the meeting minutes. If panel members determine they have a conflict of interest, they are excused from voting on the panel’s findings and recommendations for that case.