BIDDEFORD, Maine (AP) - A federal judge has ruled that a Maine police department is not liable for a 2012 shooting that killed two teenagers.
The victims’ mothers sued, alleging that Biddeford, its police department, police Chief Roger Beaupre and the responding officers should be held accountable for failing to arrest or detain James Pak before the shooting for which he was later convicted, the Portland Press Herald reported.
Pak, 81, is serving a life sentence for the murders of Derrick Thompson, 19, and Alivia Welch, 18.
Thompson had called authorities and reported that Pak had threatened them on Dec. 29, 2012, according to court documents. Responding officers did not ask Pak if he had a gun and deemed the situation a civil matter.
Minutes later, Pak entered the apartment with a gun and shot Thompson, Welch and Thompson’s mother, Susan Stevens, who survived.
U.S. District Judge Jon Levy granted Biddeford’s request for summary judgment Wednesday and found that the defendants are not civilly liable for Pak’s crimes.
“The court had to recognize that the law just doesn’t make the police and public safety the guarantors of all safety for the public,” said Douglas Louison, one of the attorneys for the city and police.
Deputy Police Chief JoAnne Fisk didn’t respond to an interview request Thursday.
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