Portland homicide suspect who was shot by police has died
Portland Police Officer Killed in Fatal Shooting, Investigation Underway
Portland, ME – Police announced on Friday afternoon that 41‑year‑old Brian Oliver died while receiving treatment at Maine Medical Center. Oliver, who was already in police custody on suspicion of homicide, was shot by responding officers on September 21 at a home on 27 Colonial Road in the Portland area.
The incident began after police received calls reporting an assault at the Colonial Road residence. Officers Joseph Lowe and David Moore arrived and confronted Oliver, who reportedly was holding a weapon and failed to drop it when ordered. The officers then fired, striking Oliver multiple times. He was transported to the hospital and later pronounced dead.
The police department has not yet released details about the type of weapon Oliver allegedly possessed or the exact number of shots fired. No additional information has been shared by the department, and the Office of the Maine Attorney General, which is reviewing the case, has declined to provide further details while the investigation proceeds.
Mark Tschamler, 69, the victim of the alleged assault, was found dead at the scene. Tschamler was the owner of One Call Craftsmen, a home‑maintenance business established in 1984, and had been described by a neighbor as a “jack‑of‑all‑trades” who worked on landscaping and carpentry projects. He is expected to face a murder charge in connection with Oliver’s death.
Following the shooting, Officers Lowe and Moore were placed on administrative leave, per standard procedure. Their names and details about the investigation have been made public by the police department.
The death of Oliver marks the second time Portland police have fatally shot a person within a month. The earlier incident involved the death of 37‑year‑old Jacob Hastings on August 27, after a high‑speed chase that ended near the Casco Bay Lines terminal. That case also remains under review by the state Attorney General’s office.
The Attorney General’s office is responsible for examining all fatal police shootings in Maine and has not determined any of the recent incidents to be unjustified since 1990. The office has not yet released findings on either case and has not responded to requests for comments this week.
Portland officials have urged the public to remain calm and to allow law‑enforcement and state investigators to conduct their work. The police department said it would keep the community updated as more information becomes available.
