Deadly force justified in police chase shooting, officials say

NEWTON, NH — Prosecutors say troopers had no choice but to use deadly force during a wild police chase in June.

In a news conference Wednesday, investigators showed video in which you can clearly hear troopers stating that Michael Brown is shooting at them as he eludes arrest on the highway, driving on his rims after continuing past stop sticks. It’s one of many factors they say made this a justified use of deadly force.

It all started back on June 6 after a 16-year-old girl in Presque Isle, Maine told police that Brown had sexually assaulted her. When investigators there called him to try to get his side of the story, police say he left a job site, stole a pickup truck and a loaded handgun from a relative, and told his girlfriend he would not go back to jail and police would be killing him.

A week later, police spotted him in Malden, Massachusetts and that's where the chase began. In that video, the stolen truck can be seen driving on the wrong side of the highway, and police can be heard saying that Brown has fired at them on six separate occasions. The only time investigators say police returned fire before the chase came to an end was during a failed attempt at a pit maneuver.

>>PREVIOUS: Wild police chase ends with shots fired, suspect dead

"That trooper fired back five times through his own windshield to try and hit Mr. Brown as Mr. Brown is firing at him, and that's because the trooper is very close to Mr. Brown at that point, he’s trying to bump him to stop the pursuit."

Brown ended up hitting a tree in Newton, New Hampshire. That's when investigators say he accelerated toward police and was shot in the neck.

All four state troopers who discharged their weapons have been returned to full duty.

Cox Media Group