Tyler Woodburn
Date: 9/7/2022 Location: North Waterboro, ME FACTORS (1,3,8,12,14,17)
Name: Tyler Woodburn
Criminal History/Involved: Yes, Woodburn was arrested in 2018 in Massachusetts for “unlawfully carrying a large-capacity firearm, improper storage of a high-capacity firearm, carrying a loaded firearm and possession of a firearm without a license to carry.” / Unknown.
Mental Illness: None stated but his girlfriend said Woodburn “had a general dislike of police.”
Substance Abuse History/Involved: None stated. / Unknown.
Race/Sex/Age: White/Male/30
Officer(s) involved: York County Sheriff’s Deputy Levi Johnson
What prompted the initial contact with police? At around 6:50 p.m. on September 7, 2022, York County Sheriff’s Deputy Levi Johnson responded to a 911 call of a disturbance at a house. Upon arriving at that house, Deputy Johnson confronted Tyler Woodburn and requested he come outside so they could talk.
Actions taken by subject towards police: Woodburn refused to comply and shut the door.
Reactions by the police: Deputy Levi kicked the door in, grabbed Woodburn, pulled him out of the house and “threw him down [the] stairs.” Woodburn fought back against the deputy and was subsequently Tased several times. Woodburn fiancée stated he possibly got a hold of the deputy’s Taser and was on top of him when she was pulling him off the deputy and the deputy subsequently shot him twice in the chest.
Outcome of investigation into the fatal police incident: The state attorney general is investigating the shooting.
What could the subject have done that day to still be alive today? Woodburn could still be alive if he: did not perform a burnout which possibly caused a neighbor to call 911 about a disturbance; complied with the deputy and exited his house; did not fight back against the deputy; did not grab the deputy’s Taser.
Miscellaneous: If as Woodburn’s fiancée suggested, Deputy Johnson smelled alcohol on Woodburn’s breath and thought he was driving under the influence earlier, that was not enough proof to arrest him because Woodburn was drinking after he returned inside the house.
Justified Use of Deadly Force? NO, since the deputy did not have probable cause necessitating Woodburn’s immediate apprehension nor reasonably feared anyone’s life was in danger, he conducted an unlawful search and seizure by forcibly entering the house and removing Woodburn from it. Once the deputy used force and Woodburn fought back and was able to take the Taser from him, Deputy Johnson reasonably feared for his life and used deadly force – but it was not justified because of the deputy’s initial unconstitutional actions.
