Livermore Falls:
A police standoff that dragged on for more than 17 hours ended with a family reunited, a hostage taker dead and a bomb squad searching a home for explosive devices, police said Tuesday.
Three of the four people in the home were held as hostages during the ordeal, and the last hostage was safely released early Tuesday. A member of the state police tactical team used deadly force during the standoff, officials said.
Afterward, the bomb squad dealt with “multiple explosive devices” that were left inside the home, State Police Lt. Jason Madore told reporters. The hostage taker was identified as Donald White, 44, of Jay; investigators declined to say whether he knew the people in the home. The state trooper who used deadly force was placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure, during the investigation, Madore said. The medical examiner will determine how White died, he said.
Local police said they were met with a “dangerous situation” when they arrived Monday morning, and state police responded with a tactical team, bomb squad and crisis negotiator. Eventually, county and federal law enforcement officials joined others at the scene.
Four people were in the home when the intruder entered, but only one was held through Monday evening. That hostage was released early Tuesday and reunited with family, officials said. The Spruce Mountain School District closed schools Monday because the school resource officer was concerned that the suspect might have planted a bomb, Superintendent Scott Albert told News Center Maine.
A Walmart store in Farmington was also evacuated because of a bomb threat, but it was unclear if that was related, officials said.
