Manslaughter Trial Underway For Reading Police Officer After 2018 Shooting

READING, MA — Court proceedings are underway this week in the manslaughter trial of a Reading police officer charged in connection with the 2018 shooting of 43-year-old Alan Greenough.

Officer Erik Drauschke plead not guilty to the manslaughter charge in 2020 following a grand jury indictment. Drauschke’s trial then officially began on Wednesday of last week, according to court records, with opening statements beginning on Monday of this week.

The shooting in this case took place on Feb. 3, 2018 after Drauschke and other Reading police officers responded to reports of a domestic assault involving Greenough, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan.

The DA said Greenough initially barricaded himself in his apartment, at one point holding a three-foot broken table leg in his hands while yelling at officers asking him to surrender. He instead climbed out a back window, according to prosecutors.

Drauschke found Greenough in a parked car in the area during a police search, the DA said.

Drauschke ordered Greenough to get out of the car, according to Ryan. Greenough then “came quickly” at Drauschke with his hands in his pockets yelling “shoot me, shoot me,” Ryan said.

Drauschke shot Greenough twice in the chest, according to Ryan. Greenough later died.

In her announcement of a manslaughter charge against Drauschke, Ryan said Drauschke initially approached Greenough and the car without waiting for backup, even though other officers were close by.

The DA said Greenough did not attempt to flee and did not make threatening gestures toward Drauschke while in the car. He was unarmed, the DA said, with no weapons found nearby following a search.

“The car doors were closed and the vehicle was parked in a way that it could not have been able to be utilized to flee the scene,” the DA separately said.

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Drauschke, a longtime veteran of the Reading Police Department, was put on leave immediately after the shooting. Initially classified as paid administrative leave, Drauschke's status was reduced to unpaid administrative leave following his indictment.

Reading Police Chief David Clark in 2020 said the department had cooperated with the District Attorney’s investigation, adding that the department would continue to cooperate.

Attorneys for Greenough’s family and Drauschke also both responded to Drauschke’s indictment back in 2020.

Victor Koufman, representing the family, said the news brought “some peace” to Greenough’s loved ones.

He continued, though, saying the family was still “absolutely stunned at the lack of justification for the shooting.”

Peter Pasciucco, representing Drauschke, said Drauschke’s actions in 2018 were "entirely consistent with his extensive training.” He continued, saying that “the use of deadly force was warranted.”

Pasciucco said at the time that he expected his client to be exonerated.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys introduced their cases in court for and against conviction on Monday, as reported by the Boston Globe.

Drauschke's trial is scheduled to continue this week, with trial dates scheduled through Friday.