A South Paris man was killed during a private fireworks display Saturday night after he was struck by a projectile discharged by a mini cannon, according to police.

The Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, Med-Care Ambulance Service and Roxbury Fire Department responded at around 9:24 p.m. Saturday to a home in Roxbury for a report of a man who had collapsed during a private fireworks display, Maine State Police spokesperson Shannon Moss said.

Joseph Hennessey, 41, of South Paris, was pronounced dead after being transported from the scene.

Initial findings of an investigation indicated that Hennessey was “struck and killed by a projectile discharged by a mini cannon at the time of the fireworks display,” Moss said.

The state fire marshal’s office and state police investigated the incident, and Maine’s chief medical examiner performed an autopsy.

Paul Koenig is chief digital editor at the Bangor Daily News. He previously spent six years at Maine magazine, as managing editor and then editor. Before that he worked at Old Port magazine, Mainebiz and...