AUGUSTA — The city police officer involved in the shooting of a Fairfield man in November has returned to work after an internal investigation yielded no corrective action, according to Augusta Police Chief Jared Mills.

Officer Sabastian Guptill, 23, was placed on paid administrative leave after he shot Robert Farrington, of Fairfield, during an armed confrontation at a home on South Belfast Avenue in Augusta.

Officer Sabastian Guptill Contributed photo by Augusta Police Department

On Nov. 24, Augusta officers responded to a house on South Belfast Avenue at about 12:30 a.m. looking for Farrington, 27, who was wanted by Fairfield police on charges of domestic violence assault and cruelty to animals.

Once inside, Farrington and Guptill met in an armed confrontation and Guptill shot Farrington. Mills confirmed Farrington had a gun and that one other person was at the house at the time of the shooting.

Farrington was taken to the hospital and later released on Nov. 27. Augusta Police Department arrested Farrington for his outstanding warrant obtained by the Fairfield Police Department and on a warrant obtained by the Augusta Police Department for criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon as a result of the incident that occurred in Augusta on Nov. 24.

Guptill was placed on paid administrative leave while Augusta police conducted an internal investigation.

Advertisement

The Maine Attorney General’s office is also investigating the incident, which is standard for all incidents regarding the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers.

The residence on South Belfast Avenue in Augusta in November 2019 where Augusta Police Officer Sabastian Guptill shot Robert Farrington. Kennebec Journal file photo by Andy Molloy

Marc Malon, spokesperson for the state Attorney General, was not immediately available for comment Monday on the office’s investigation into the incident.

Mills said he could not provide the Kennebec Journal with the department’s own internal report, but confirmed that Guptill returned to work last week without any corrective action being taken.

Farrington is no longer being held at Kennebec County jail in Augusta, according to an inmate roster. Representatives from Somerset County Jail in East Madison were not immediately available for comment Monday.

Related Headlines

Comments are not available on this story.