Preliminary report on Shannon shooting said near

Benjamin Shannon

The Assistant Attorney General charged with the investigation of an officer-involved shooting that claimed the life of a Rochester man said on Wednesday that a preliminary finding on the facts of the case could be revealed soon.

Benjamin Agati of the state’s Attorney General’s office, told The Lebanon Voice that the investigating team has been making progress in its probe into the death of Ben Shannon, who was killed in an apparent shootout with lawmen March 10 as they sought to arrest him for a bail violation.

Shannon was shot three times, in the arms and torso, according to the Maine Medical Examiner’s Office, which performed the autopsy because Shannon died in Maine after being transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland the day of the shooting.

Agati said a final finding could take several more weeks, because toxicology reports can sometimes take 30-45 days. He said, however, that a preliminary finding on certain facts of the case could come much sooner.

He would not comment on whether it appeared the three bullets that struck Shannon had been delivered by one, two or three different firearms.

When gunfire erupted three officers from the New Hampshire Corrections Dept. Parole/Probation Office and a Strafford County Sheriff’s Deputy were all inside the mobile home where Shannon’s mother lived.

Agati said his investigative team, along with State Police, were out of the office all day on Monday making strides in the case, but he said there was no set timetable for their next press release.

He said that it is hoped all the investigative work can be done by the time toxicology reports are returned so that a final report can be released soon after they are received.

Shannon was known to have been in recent alcohol and drug detox.

He was charged with the robbery of George and Ed’s convenience store in February and was expected to be indicted on the charge by a Strafford County grand jury.

Police said he had threatened the clerk with a pellet gun in the robbery.

A family member said last week that Shannon had a real gun when lawmen entered the mobile home 10 days ago and was prepared to “take them out” if they tried to arrest him.