PORTLAND, ME. (THECOUNT) — Brian Oliver, 41, of Portland, has been accused of killing a 69-year-old man during an alleged assault inside a Portland apartment Monday night before police shot Oliver when he reportedly refused commands to drop a weapon.
The victim, identified by police as Mark Tschamler, died at the scene as a result of the assault. Oliver was also injured in the police shooting and was transported to Maine Medical Center, where he remained in custody while receiving treatment.
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According to the Portland Police Department, officers responded to a reported disturbance at an apartment on Colonial Road at approximately 8:16 p.m. Monday. When officers arrived, they encountered a tenant who escorted them into the residence.
The tenant entered the apartment ahead of the officers but soon ran back toward them screaming. Officers then entered the residence and encountered what police described as an active incident.
Two officers confronted Oliver, who police said was assaulting Tschamler. Authorities said Oliver refused commands to drop his weapon, prompting the officers to open fire. Police have not publicly disclosed what type of weapon Oliver allegedly possessed.
Tschamler died at the scene from injuries sustained during the reported assault. The circumstances surrounding the confrontation, including the nature of the weapon and the precise sequence of events inside the apartment, remain under investigation.
Oliver is expected to face a murder charge in connection with Tschamler’s death. The allegations have not been adjudicated in court, and additional details about the evidence supporting the charge had not been released in the preliminary reports.
The two officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave, a standard step in officer-involved shooting investigations, according to local reporting. The investigation into the police use of force is being handled separately from the criminal investigation into Tschamler’s death.
Authorities have not released additional information about the relationship between Oliver and Tschamler or explained what led to the initial disturbance call. Police also have not disclosed whether anyone else was injured inside the apartment.
Portland is Maine’s largest city and is located in Cumberland County along Casco Bay. Colonial Road is in the city’s residential area, within the greater Portland metropolitan region in southern Maine.
Google Maps: Colonial Road, Portland, Maine — approximate incident location
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