Alleged assault sparks standoff in Temple

TEMPLE – The alleged assault of a local resident led to a more than two-hour standoff with police Thursday evening, concluding with the suspect turning himself into law enforcement.

Brian Mackin, 27 of Temple, has been arrested on charges of aggravated assault, a Class B felony, as well as misdemeanor domestic violence terrorizing and violating the conditions of release. He is currently being held at Franklin County Detention Center pending an initial appearance.

According to Sheriff Scott Nichols, Thursday’s incident began after dispatchers received a 9-1-1 call at roughly 1:45 p.m. from a residence located at 34 Cummings Hill Road in Temple. It was reported that the male resident had been assaulted by Mackin, his son. A number of officers responded, including Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Steven Lowell, Lt. David Rackliffe, Sgt. Matthew Brann, Deputy Andrew Morgan, Deputy Brian McCormick, as well as four Maine State Police troopers. The alleged victim was secured and police determined that Mackin had left the scene, reportedly armed with a handgun and a knife.

Police searched the surrounding area for more than an hour but did not locate Mackin. An arrest warrant for Mackin was drafted back in Farmington.

At approximately 4:45 p.m., the FCSO received a call from a neighbor that lived near the scene in Temple. The neighbor told police that he had seen Mackin walking behind his father’s residence at 34 Cummings Hill Road. The father was not home at that time.

Nichols, St. Laurent, Brann, McCormick and Deputy Derek Doucette responded, securing a perimeter around the house and determining that Mackin was inside. Temple Fire Department provided traffic control. A new arrest warrant and a search warrant was drafted by Det. Stephen Charles, as St. Laurent contacted Mackin by phone and began a dialog that would last more than two hours.

Members of the Maine State Police tactical team began to arrive at the scene, including Sgt. Tyler Stevenson, the team commander, as well as MSP Trooper Jed Malcore, a crisis negotiator. As more police officers began to arrive, Mackin surrendered.

“Makin made the correct decision to surrender to the deputies and came out of the residence without incident,” Nichols said in a statement released Friday morning.

Mackin was arrested and taken into custody. No weapons were found at the scene.

It is the second time in less than 10 days that local law enforcement and the MSP tactical team was called to a Temple residence for a standoff. The first incident, which occurred on Jan. 9, concluded after police entered a Temple Road residence and discovered that both occupants had died in what was later determined to be a murder-suicide.