A firefighter was killed after being struck by a pickup truck on Wednesday night near police headquarters in Portland, officials said.
Officers responded to reports of a serious crash involving a pedestrian around 6:19 p.m. on Main Street near the Portland Police Department headquarters, according to officials.
Police said a pickup truck struck 58-year-old Shaun Manning of Portland as he was crossing the street to attend a town meeting.
Manning, who also serves on the Portland Board of Selectmen, was transported to Middlesex Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to police.
“He was crossing the street to attend our meeting and we all heard the crash,” said Portland First Selectman Ryan Curley. “We ran outside and I heard one of our other members say ‘Someone call 911’ and I saw a person lying in the street. But I didn’t know in the moment it was Shaun
“I lost one of my friends and it’s just an awful tragedy in every sense of the word,” Curley added. “I want to make sure that as a town we support his family and honor his legacy. He was a true public servant in every sense of the word who was deeply committed to the town of Portland.”
Manning was first elected to the Board of Selectman in 2021 and was re-elected last year, according to Curley. He was also a longtime member of the Portland Fire Department and attained the rank of lieutenant, according to fire officials.
“While he was not on duty nor responding to an emergency call, if the tables were turned he would have been the first one there,” the Portland Fire Department said in a statement. “Any loss of life is tragic, however this one hits closer to home for our department. He was a dedicated firefighter and first responder that will be greatly missed.
“Shaun was devoted to serving our community, giving decades of his life to the fire department, as well as to the Town of Portland,” the fire department said. “The hole that this leaves is a big one, and we will miss him dearly. Please keep his family and friends in your thoughts as they navigate through this tragedy. Rest easy brother. We’ll take it from here.”
The driver of the pickup truck stayed on scene and is cooperating with police in the investigation, officials said.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the police department at 860-342-6780.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com.
