Three Bangor police officers acted in self-defense when they shot a suicidal man last summer.
That’s the conclusion of investigators with the Maine attorney general’s office, which cleared Officers Brian Cronk, Taylor Reynolds and Benjamin Ferland for using deadly force when they shot and wounded 58-year-old Brian Barnes of Bangor.
Barnes was suicidal when returned to his outer Broadway home, near the Glenburn town line, from work on the afternoon of June 26, 2025, and took bullets with him into the garage. His wife, who called 911 about 2:47 p.m., said he had brought the gun with him to work, according to investigators.
She then heard a gunshot and later Barnes pounding on the door and yelling.
When she told him that police were on the way, Barnes said that there would be a shoot out, according to the report.
Cronk was the first officer on the scene. Barnes told Cronk that “it’s either you or me.” Cronk told Barnes repeatedly to put down his gun, which the officer couldn’t see at that time. Barnes then went behind a tree in his front yard, according to the report.
Reynolds, Ferland and another officer arrived soon after Cronk.
Barnes emerged from behind the tree with the Taurus G3c 9mm pistol under his chin, but when he then pointed it toward the officer, Cronk, Ferland and Reynolds opened fire, hitting Barnes in the abdomen, according to the report.
All three were placed on administrative leave after the shooting.
The pistol was found unloaded a few feet from where Barnes fell, according to the report.
He was taken to the hospital for treatment, and a test found that Barnes had a blood alcohol level of 0.26.
Barnes, who was charged with criminal threatening and reckless conduct, later told investigators with the attorney general’s office that he was suicidal that day and reportedly admitted to threatening officers.
Investigators concluded that Cronk, Ferland and Reynolds “reasonably believed” that Barnes posed an “imminent threat” to them given that he had fired the gun before their arrival, had threatened a shoot out and disobeyed orders to disarm.
“All the facts and circumstances point to the conclusion that the three officers reasonably believed they were acting in defense of themselves and their fellow officers at the time they used deadly force,” investigators wrote.
