Livermore Falls Neighborhood Cleared after Bombs Found [UPDATE]
Residents who live in a Livermore Falls neighborhood that was the scene of a scary standoff have been given the 'all clear' to return to their homes.
UPDATE: The State Medical Examiner's Office has determined that Donald White died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and not at the hands of a law enforcement officer. WABI-TV reports that while he was injured by the officer's gunshot, it was not a fatal wound, according to autopsy results.
The incident started when Livermore Falls Police were dispatched to a local residence for a report of an armed intruder. Officials say Donald White allegedly broke into the Knapp Street home just before 5:30 Monday morning and barricaded himself inside. There were three people inside the residence, who White immediately took as hostages.
What followed was a 14-hour standoff with multiple law enforcement agencies from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, as well as federal agencies. The neighborhood was evacuated, as police worked to resolve the dangerous situation. Finally, White was found to be deceased, after an armed confrontation with police, and the three hostages were recovered with no serious injuries.
That was not the end of the danger, however. An inspection of the home turned up multiple explosive devices inside the residence that needed to be safely disarmed. Neighborhood residents were kept away from the area, until that situation could be secured. At around 11:00 Tuesday night, Livermore Falls Police posted on the department's Facebook page that the safety concerns had been dealt with, and that residents could safely return to their homes.
The law enforcement officer who fired the shot that injured White is on administrative leave, pending an investigation by the Maine Attorney General's Office, which is standard procedure in any police-involved shooting. Livermore Falls Chief of Police Ernest Steward, Jr. sent out a media release, thanking all members of law enforcement for their role in resolving this situation, and to community members and organizations who offered warming shelters and support.