Portland Police Shoot Suspect in Rosemont Homicide of Handyman Mark Tschamler

Key points

• Officers Joseph Lowe and David Moore responded to a disturbance call at 27 Colonial Road around 8:16 p.m. on Monday.
• A tenant initially guided officers inside but then ran back screaming, alerting them to the assault in progress.
• Police found Brian Oliver, 41, assaulting Mark Tschamler, 69, inside the apartment.
• Oliver was shot after refusing to drop a weapon, according to the Portland Police Department.
• Mark Tschamler was pronounced dead at the scene; Oliver was treated at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center.
• The Maine Office of the Attorney General is investigating the use of deadly force, and both officers are on administrative leave.

Background

This incident is the second police shooting in Portland in the past month, following the August 27 shooting of Jacob Hastings at the Casco Bay Lines ferry terminal. The city has also seen multiple other violent incidents in recent weeks, including a homicide in the Buckman neighborhood and a shooting in Southeast Portland that left one dead and others injured.

How outlets are covering it

The Portland Press Herald and Bangor Daily News emphasize the community shock over the death of Mark Tschamler, a well-known local handyman. WMTW provides additional details, noting that Tschamler had been diagnosed with throat cancer and that a neighbor expressed disbelief that he would have enemies. All outlets agree on the core facts: Oliver was shot after refusing to drop a weapon, and the Maine Attorney General is investigating the use of force. The Bangor Daily News highlights that this is the second police shooting in Portland in a month, while the Portland Press Herald focuses on the neighborhood's reaction to the loss of a longtime resident.

Why it matters

The incident raises questions about police use of deadly force in domestic or assault situations, as the Maine Attorney General's office is mandated to investigate such cases. It also highlights ongoing concerns about violence in Portland's Rosemont neighborhood and the broader pattern of police shootings in the city over the past month.

What to watch

Brian Oliver is expected to face a murder charge. The Maine Office of the Attorney General will complete its investigation into the officers' use of deadly force. Portland police are asking the public to call 207-874-8575 with any information or witness accounts of the incident.