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Accident – Death – Obituary News : An Auburn police officer was forced to defend himself when he fatally shot a Bucksport man nearly two and a half years ago. The Maine attorney general’s office recently released its findings on the shooting death of 36-year-old Joseph Arbour, concluding that the officer acted in self-defense. The incident took place on the morning of September 27, 2021, at the Value Inn Motel on Center Street in Auburn.
Officer Andrew Shute responded to a call reporting a man, later identified as Arbour, allegedly holding a woman hostage with guns on the second floor of the motel. Upon arriving at the scene, Shute heard an argument between a man and a woman in the room, but they fell silent when he knocked on the door. Security footage later revealed Arbour and three others fleeing the room via a balcony.
Sgt. Steven Gosselin, a seasoned veteran of the Auburn Police Department, also arrived at the scene. Gosselin observed Arbour walking away from the motel towards Center Street at a suspiciously fast pace. When Gosselin attempted to approach and speak with Arbour, the latter ignored him and appeared to be holding something in his hand.
As Gosselin called out to Arbour to stop, the situation escalated when Arbour turned and pointed a firearm at the officer. In response, Gosselin drew his own weapon and instructed Arbour to drop the gun. Despite the officer’s commands, Arbour threatened to harm himself with the gun.
Gosselin, perceiving Arbour as a threat to himself and the public, fired three shots at the suspect, resulting in his death. The medical examiner’s office later confirmed that Arbour died from a gunshot wound to the back and had traces of fentanyl and methamphetamine in his system.
The investigators determined that Gosselin acted in self-defense and in defense of others, as Arbour had already displayed a firearm, refused to comply with orders, and was implicated in a potential hostage situation. The findings concluded that Gosselin’s actions were justified given the circumstances of the incident..
