Dennis Ward confronted police when they arrived at a domestic disturbance with a pistol in his hand and fired shots into the ground, according to police. He ignored orders from police to drop the gun. Ward approached Officer Benjamin Kolko, and Sgt. Matthew Cook fired his Taser at Ward as Kolko fired two shots at Ward. The shots missed, but Ward was immobilized long enough for police to arrest him. He died shortly after.
Victim's Name: Dennis Ward
Agency Responsible: Belfast Police Department
Gender: Male
Age: 71
Race: White
Date of Death: May 27, 2017
County: Waldo
Cause of Death: Taser
Official Disposition: Pending investigation/No Known Charges
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: No
Armed: Allegedly Armed
Weapon: gun
Threat Level: attack
Fleeing: Not fleeing
Geography: Rural