In the early hours of a January morning in 2017, the quiet of Waldoboro, Maine, was shattered by a domestic disturbance call that ended in the death of 57-year-old Jon Michael Alspaugh, a White male. Police were dispatched to his home on River Bend Road around 1 a.m. on January 22, 2017. Events escalated quickly upon the arrival of Waldoboro Police Officer John Lash.
At the residence, Officer Lash was met by Alspaugh, and an exchange of gunfire ensued.
Alspaugh fired his handgun at the officer, striking him once in the torso. Officer Lash, who was protected by his bulletproof vest, returned fire, fatally wounding Alspaugh. Alspaugh succumbed to gunshot wounds to the head and torso. Less than two days prior to this fatal confrontation, Alspaugh had filed for divorce.
The Maine Attorney General's Office conducted an investigation into the officer-involved shooting, which is standard procedure in such cases. Officer Lash was placed on paid administrative leave during the course of the investigation. Ultimately, the Attorney General's Office cleared Officer Lash of any wrongdoing, concluding that he had acted in self-defense. The investigation determined that the use of deadly force was justified to protect himself from further harm or death.
