VEAZIE, Maine — Police say a suicide on Wednesday happened inside a home off U.S. Route 2, not outside as initially reported in the Bangor Daily News.
Officers from the Veazie and Orono police departments responded to a call around 3:30 p.m. for an ambulance, not a call for shots fired as initially reported, according to Sgt. Keith Emery of the Veazie Police Department. The Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office did not respond, according to Emery.
Eyewitnesses initially identified crime scene tape outside the house.
The Bangor Daily News regrets the errors.
Story was corrected. Thank you!
Chief Mark E Leonard Veazie Police Department
I agree with you on this and thank you for helping this family. I might add that you should remember the rule of freedom of speech in papers, i might also add that you need to tell your officers that running to a store to get coffee, does not require there lights to be on.
But i do want to thank you for being with this family right now.
I also agree with you. Bangor Daily News is turning into a tabloid. Might as well rename it Bangor Enquirer. So sorry to the family..this is a hard time of year to have things like this happen (It’s hard ANY time of the year but especially at the holidays) Praying for the family.
Chief, thank you for helping the family.
Gee, yes, the facts are wrong. Nothing was in public, no Sheriff’s Office response. And no 911 call reporting shots fired. Yes, Chief Leonard tried to tell the reporter the real facts. The reporter called him twice and was told twice what the story really was, even after the reporter told the Chief he was getting “conflicting stories”. Once given the correct facts, this is what came out, and it’s totally inaccurate.
The Bangor Daily News is losing subscribers at a rapid rate. The editors and reporters ( esp. Reporters McCrea, Neff, and Gass) have turned to misleading and often inflammatory headlines to draw people in. Finally the readers are starting to realize this. The have hurt a lot of innocent people this way. The reporters often comment online to under fake names it lure others into commenting.
Why waste time reading then? Does anyone have more important things to do than constantly spread negativity throughout these forums all day?
Reporters don’t write headlines, but they have been playing fast and loose with factual details — details the copy desk is supposed to verify.
I’m still shocked that the headline for the Angus King story, in which King said he had listened to Republicans in that party’s quest to get him to caucus with them, was never changed from something along the lines of “Seriously, Angus?”
It was a completely unprofessional headline that apparently had the blessing of upper management.
Then, of course, we had the recent Mayan calendar doomsday nonsense, which was put on the front page of the print edition, and at least two stories in the last year about “psychics” helping the police.
I’m not taking sides here but to me It just seems a little unprofessional for a person of your “stature” in your community to be posting your side of the story in a public forum about your experience with dealing with the reporter. What helps the family more? Posting a comment here to rile up people into replying with negative comments about the BDN or calling their office and talking to the editor about your issues with this story and getting it changed? It just really downgrades your Police Department and embarrasses the citizens and taxpayers who pay your salary by doing things like this.
I disagree. In the article it ends the story with “police said”. So if none of that was “said” by the police and was written wrong it would make the police look bad especially to the family of the ? deceased ? if they were to read it. If I were Chief Leonard and was quoted completely wrong in an article and it was going to make me look bad…I would have made the comment just like he did. I’m glad he defended himself.
Spot on comment…..kudos to the Chief for challenging the “facts”…..
A lot of people who have been misquoted or had their stories reported erroneously do nothing more than growl and say nothing, acting on the impression that it would do no good. In most cases, it’s true — journalists don’t like to issue corrections, especially on what they perceive as a trivial matters.
However, it is better to complain — especially in public. Readers have a right to know when journalists mess up, just like they have the right to know when public officials mess up.
Hopefully more openness on both sides will end up benefiting readers in the end. After all, readers need to be able to trust what they read.
I understand your frustration for the reporter getting the facts wrong but geez chief not sure i want you deciding what is newsworthy!!
Well Mr. Leonard at least the BDN staff can spell and is (usually) grammatically correct. Normally such transgressions wouldn’t be worth mentioning but you are in a position of authority and one would expect a better showing here. That said I applaud your effort to assist the family during this tragic time in their (not “there”) lives.
News like this is sad to hear, especially at this time of year. A case of holiday depression, do you suppose?
Anything’s possible. However, it’s a myth that the suicide rate increases during the holidays. The rate is highest in the spring, actually.
A thumbs-down? If you don’t believe me, check it out for yourself:
http://www.save.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewpage&page_id=705d5df4-055b-f1ec-3f66462866fcb4e6
http://herkules.oulu.fi/isbn9514256042/html/x335.html
http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/177/4/366.full
http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/suicide.asp
http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=052618D2-02D2-04B4-00EDA31CFC336B63
no he was my best friend of of about 30 yrs and this was totally unexpected…we spent every weekend together and have years worth of memories..snowmobiling camping harley riding he was there at the birth of everyone of my kids… we need answers we were there immediatly after recieving the call…this is killing me and my family it trully is
What a horrible , beyond insensitive comment to such an article.
Well it looks like there is plenty of sorrow for many involved. Many thoughts and prayers.
Story has been fixed now
.
Jeff was the very best friend anyone could ask for…he was more or less mine and Cecs big brother more than a friend…we have so many questions and so need some answers .. this was NOT typical of him…he was a pwerson that loed life we did everything together he was there for the birth of everyone of my kids and we watched each others and been there as an extended family for our chhildren we were one family 2 families intertwined as one he called Cec on Tuesday afternoon he had plans for the next day we had plans for growing old and he was due to retire in less than 2 yrs. Things just dont add up we miss our brother more than any words can say….I was with you in your ER room at EMMC where they did everything they could to save you I just hope you know you were not alone…when you took your last breath you took the biggest piece of my heart and all of our families heart with you I love you Jeff and we will meet again…be happy and send us signs your ok and give Brendie and Kathy Phoebes and Acer big loves and watch over the ones here on eart left behind…I along with my man are def going to be looking intoo this and we are hoping all reports are public as nothing seems right with this … forever you will live on in our hearts and minds…