Headlines About Gun Violence in Maine
Examples are from local and national media outlets and have been edited for brief, illustrative headlines only.
Maine man charged in theft of 12 guns
August 25, 2010 15:25 EDT WGME
BANGOR, Maine (AP) -- A 19-year-old Maine man is facing federal charges for allegedly stealing a dozen firearms from a gun shop.
Corey Ryan Damon, of Millinocket, is being held at the Penobscot County Jail on $10,000 cash bail. Police told the Bangor Daily News that
Damon is accused of breaking into the Mill Creek Road & Gun Shop in Orrington at about 3 a.m. Monday. Besides the federal
charges, Damon is charged with burglary and theft, criminal mischief and other offenses.
Posted: August 18,2010
Updated: Today at 10:14 PM
WINTHROP — Police recovered all 34 guns and the ammunition stolen early Saturday from Audette's Hardware store, and have identified a
suspect in the theft. Winthrop Police Chief Joseph Young said the suspect, John Joseph Woodley, 49, of Winthrop led police to the cache
of weapons.
York police said a shooting inside a home in the area of Broadway and Iris Avenue Monday night was a suicide.
A 56-year-old man had been observed by neighbors yelling in a rage outside his home, police said. The man was then seen going back inside.
Neighbors then reported they heard a gunshot. Police arrived at the scene at 5:50 p.m. and removed an elderly man from the home and
evacuated nearby residences. The elderly man told police the younger man in the house was his son and had been making suicidal threats
during the day. Attempts by police to reach the man by phone were unsuccessful. At 9:20 p.m. a gunshot was fired inside the home. Police
entered the home at 11:45 p.m. and discovered the man had killed himself.
12:14 PM
GRAY — Officials with the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office say no charges have been lodged against a Gray man whose family was
concerned about him because he was allegedly drunk, holding a rifle and refusing to speak with sheriff's deputies. Relatives of the man, who
lives on Center Road, called police around 10 p.m. Monday because they were concerned about their safety. They said the man had been
drinking most of the day and had become verbally abusive toward them, according to a press release issued today by Capt. Jeff Davis. Davis
said deputies convinced the man to leave his house around midnight. He was not charged with any crimes because he did not threaten to
harm himself or others, Davis said. The incident was not described as a standoff by sheriff's deputies.
Posted: August 3
Updated: Today at 12:43 AM
The Starks man appeared to have 'emotional issues,' the Skowhegan police chief says.
Story could not be found
Posted: August 3
Updated: Today at 11:30 PM
A long-running dispute between two lobster fishermen escalates into a fight on a pier on Sunday.
By SHARON KILEY MACK Bangor Daily News
MACHIASPORT - A feud that apparently has been simmering for at least a year between fishing families in the Machiasport area flared up
Sunday evening, with one lobsterman arrested on an assault charge and another charged with criminal mischief. In the latest incident, police
converged at about 6 p.m. Sunday on the pier at BBS Lobster Co. where John Wood, 43, and Jessie Moody, 21, both of Machiasport,
allegedly were fighting. Washington County Deputy Brandon Parker said both men are lobster fishermen with a history of disputes.
Moody was arrested and charged with assaulting Wood with a 4-foot lobster trap runner, and Wood was charged with criminal mischief after
he allegedly broke out the windows in Moody's pickup truck. Parker said the situation escalated when someone reported to police that a
handgun was involved and family members and others began arriving at the pier. No one needed medical attention, Parker said.
Threat with Air Soft gun leads to teen's arrest
edinan@seacoastonline.com
July 31, 2010 2:00 AM
KITTERY, Maine — Police were called to Admiralty Village on Thursday night, when it's alleged a teenager held an Air Soft gun to a
12-year-old's eye and threatened to shoot. Police Chief Ed Strong said a 15-year-old is charged with criminal threatening with a
dangerous weapon, which can be levied as a felony. "Due to the circumstances and the severity of charge, he's being held at juvenile
detention center," said the chief. Strong said officers received a report about a teenager threatening to shoot a boy with a BB gun at
7p.m. Responding officers learned the youths were in a recreation section of the military housing project and had been involved in an e
arlier disagreement, he said. Several youths ranging in age from 9 to 12 told police the teenager held a loaded Air Soft pistol against the 12-year-old's face
and eye and threatened to "blind" him, Strong said. "They can be dangerous, especially when you're holding them against someone's
head," he said, adding Air Soft guns shoot plastic pellets. Strong said, when properly used with "appropriate safety clothing and goggles,
" the Air Soft guns are "not regarded as harmful." At close range, he said, "and against very soft tissue such as an eye, the pellet can
inflict serious injury."
7/25/10
Posted: 9:39 AM
Updated: 3:23 PM
PORTLAND — A 22-year-old man from New York was shot and killed early today at an apartment complex he was living in on Allen Avenue in
Portland. Portland Police responded to an apartment at 55 Allen Ave. around 3:40 a.m. early today after a 911 caller reported one person
had been shot. Police found the victim in the apartment. Emergency rescue workers provided medical aid, but he was pronounced dead at
the scene.
7/23/10 Posted: 5:43 PM
Updated: 5:58 PM
The Associated Press
SORRENTO — Police have launched a manhunt after a woman vacationing in Maine reported being abducted from a local street and assaulted.
Maine State Police Lt. Christopher Coleman says the woman was walking in the village of Sorrento today when a man armed with a pistol
dragged her into a green minivan, where she was sexually assaulted. He says police were combing the roads of Sorrento
7/20/10 11:38 AM
State police suspect that Mike Lagarde, 50, shot his wife, Freda, 44, then turned the gun on himself.
HOLLIS - A husband and wife whose bodies were found in their home Wednesday afternoon apparently died in a murder-suicide, state police
said. State police detectives and York County sheriff's deputies said it appeared that Lagarde had shot his wife before turning the gun on
himself, said Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
7/15/10 | Bangor man arrested after standoff with police
BANGOR, Maine — A Bangor man with a lengthy criminal record was arrested early Thursday after he reportedly fired a handgun out an
upstairs window of his Center Street apartment Wednesday night, then threatened to kill anyone who knocked on his door, police said. “He
made threats he had a gun and said if they showed up at his door there would be a shootout,” Bangor police Lt. Steve Hunt said Thursday.
“He also said someone was going to die.”
July 15, 2010 Eagle-Tribune, Andover MA
'Burly bandit' may have been caught in Maine
By Doug Ireland and Jo-Anne MacKenzie Staff Writer
A man arrested in Orono, Maine, yesterday morning may be the notorious "burly bandit," suspected of robbing at least 10 banks in four New England states,
including banks in Londonderry and Hampstead. The man robbed six other banks in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island before he first brandished a
handgun during the Londonderry and Hampstead
Police seek Orono robber
Suspect in bank heist may be driving U-Haul
7/13/10 12:00 am
ORONO, Maine — Police say they are searching for a bank robber who claimed he had a weapon when he walked into the
Bangor Savings Bank on Park Street around 3 p.m. Tuesday and demanded money. The suspect had not been arrested
Tuesday night. “Subject claimed to have a weapon and got away with an undisclosed amount of money,” Orono police
Capt. Josh Ewing said in a statement.
Man Hospitalized After Accidentally Shooting Himself
A Bangor man is hospitalized with a gunshot wound after he was accidentally hit by a bullet from a gun allegedly stolen from a vehicle. State police say 26-year old
Jack Doughty and two other men, 19-year old Robert Russell and 22-year old William Campbell, both of Island Falls, broke into vehicles parked at a residence on
Mattawamkeag lake last Friday. Doughty allegedly stole a handgun from one of the cars. While running from the scene, that firearm apparently went off, hitting
Doughty in the leg. He's hospitalized in stable condition. The three men are facing multiple charges.
Jul 11, 2010 9:41 am US/Eastern
Maine Man Charged With Shooting Neighbor
BROWNFIELD, Maine (AP) ― A Brownfield man is in jail for allegedly shooting another man while interceding in a family dispute. Oxford County Sheriff Wayne
Gallant said 42-year-old Keith Brain was charged with elevated aggravated assault for allegedly shooting 38-year-old James Walsh in the leg and arm at about
4:20 p.m. Saturday at a home on Moore Road. Walsh was taken to Bridgton Hospital, and his injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Gallant said Brain fled into the woods after the shooting. He was arrested after emerging shortly before 9 p.m.
Man Shot, Killed Near Togus VA Hospital Identified
Person Shot, Killed From Medway
POSTED: 10:54 am EDT July 8, 2010
UPDATED: 7:26 pm EDT July 8, 2010
AUGUSTA, Maine --
A man was shot and killed Thursday morning near the gate of Togus Veterans Affairs Medical Center on Route 17.
Center employees who were on break heard gunshots in the area and called police.
The Maine attorney general's office said that at about 9 a.m., there was a confrontation between James Popkowski,
37, an armed military veteran from Medway, a Togus police officer, Thomas Park, and Maine Game Warden Sgt. Ron
Dunham. Popkowski was shot and killed during the confrontation. Warden Joey Lefebrve witnessed the confrontation,
but did not use deadly force.
Man pleads not guilty in Husson stabbing
7/6/10 |
BANGOR, Maine — A local man accused of stabbing his estranged wife in a Husson University parking lot in May entered not
guilty pleas Tuesday at the Penobscot Judicial Center to charges related to the incident. Horst Wolk, 45, pleaded not guilty to
attempted murder, aggravated assault, violation of a protection order and criminal threatening.
His estranged wife, a nursing student at Husson, was rescued May 5 when five female Husson students subdued Wolk about
7:40 a.m. Wolk’s wife was treated at St. Joseph Hospital for stab wounds to a leg and her neck shortly after the stabbing, and
then was released.
The 35-year-old victim also told police that on March 4, Wolk held a gun to her head and pulled the trigger. Apparently the gun
was unloaded. She said her husband had described in detail how he was going to kill her and bury her in a landfill in rural
Penobscot County, according to a Bangor police report.
She told police on April 23, when she received a temporary protection from abuse order, that Wolk belongs to a movement in
Germany that denies the Holocaust took place. She also said he had been a member of the German army and was trained as a
sniper.
Police arrest suspect in bank heist
7/6/10 |
BANGOR, Maine — A local woman who police believe robbed a downtown bank on Tuesday morning and then fled in a waiting
taxi was arrested about two hours later at an apartment building in Bangor. Matisha Marie Pitts, 25, of Bangor has been charged
with bank robbery and will be detained until her initial court appearance, which is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at U.S.
District Court in Bangor. Police went to a 911 call from Bangor Savings Bank on State Street shortly after 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
According to a court affidavit written by FBI special agent James Herbert, Pitts approached the counter and handed the teller a
note. “I have a gun in my purse. … give me all your 20s and tens or I’ll start shooting … if any 1 (sic) tried and stop me B4 I
leave I’ll shot (sic) … No Joke,” the note read.
July 3
Kennebec Journal Staff
A Hallowell man has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for illegal firearm possession.
Matthew Mason, 28, was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Bangor to 51 months in prison and three years supervised release,
according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's office.
Mason pleaded guilty July 22, 2009 to the federal crime of possession of a firearm by a person subject to a protection-from-abuse order.
Court records reveal that, in August 2008, a Maine District Court judge issued a protection-from-abuse order against Mason.
The order, valid through August 2010, prohibited Mason from harassing, stalking or threatening a partner. The order also prohibited Mason
from possessing a firearm. Mason threatened another person with a gun in March 2009. Police subsequently found Mason with a loaded gun
under his jacket, according to officials.
July 1
PORTLAND
Police seeking suspect who fired shots into apartment
Police are trying to find the person who fired several shots into an apartment early Tuesday morning.
The shooting occurred at 109 Woodford St. around 2:24 a.m. Two men were in the area where the shots hit but no one was hurt, said
police Lt. Gary Rogers.
June 26
The Associated Pres
BROOKS — Maine state police say a woman was shot to death and her husband charged with murder.
State police and the Waldo County sheriff's office say the 49-year-old woman's body was found inside the couple's ranch-style home in
Brooks on Friday night.Police went to the home just after 7 p.m. when a relative called to report the shooting.They say the woman's
48-year-old husband was taken into custody by troopers and deputies while sitting nearby in his truck with a friend. He's been jailed in
Belfast and is expected to appear in court Monday or Tuesday. A rifle believed to have been used in the shooting was recovered.
Union man, 37, charged in threatening
Girlfriend presents audio tape of plan to frame teenage son
ROCKLAND, Maine — A man threatened to kill his live-in partner and make it look as if their teenage son had shot her, a
ccording to allegations the woman made to police.
Stanley Holloway, 37, of Union, who denied the accusations, was arrested for criminal threatening among other charges and is
being held on $5,000 bail at Knox County Jail.
“[The woman] advised that while in the bedroom, Holloway was located on the bed, holding a pistol and checking the action of
the gun,” according to Knox County Sheriff’s Deputy Donald Murray’s report. “[She] advised that Holloway began to make
comments on how he could shoot and kill her and make it look like their son [name deleted] had done it.” Murray reviewed the
recordings and wrote that Holloway “described how he could kill her and then kill [their son] and place [their son’s] fingerprints
on the gun.”
According to a transcript of some of the recordings, a man’s voice, who the woman identified as Holloway, described how
many rounds were in the gun and how he might kill the dog with a knife before shooting the woman and their son in their heads.
Shots fired in Brewer Wednesday
6/16/10 |
BREWER, Maine — Windows at a site under renovation at the Wilson Square Shopping Plaza were found riddled with bullet
holes Wednesday, and police are looking for information about who did the early morning shooting.
Police have determined that shots from a handgun or rifle were fired around 5:15 a.m., according to Brewer police Capt.
Jason J. Moffitt. “There were people working” in the building, he said. “Nobody was close enough to see anything, but they were close enough
to hear a noise.” No one was injured in what is believed to be a drive-by shooting.
Franklin man faces domestic violence charges
FRANKLIN, Maine (WLBZ NEWS CENTER -5/30/10) --- Authorities have arrested a local man for allegedly threatening his family with a gun
early Saturday morning.
Police were notified within the hour and Ray was apprehended a short time later at the home. Charges brought against him include reckless
conduct as well as threatening with a dangerous weapon.
Investigation of Chester hunting accident continues
5/29/10 |
CHESTER, Maine — Penobscot County District Attorney R. Christopher Almy is awaiting the Maine Warden Service’s
completion of its investigation of what officials have called an accidental shooting that partially blinded a turkey hunter in Chester
on May 11. On the day it happened, Maine Warden Service Lt. Thomas Ward said investigators suspected the shooting was
caused by mistaken identity of a target. As Jewell sat on the ground, obscured by thick leaves and branches, his friend Joel
Susen, 29, of Chester, hit him with a blast of turkey shot from about 40 yards away.
May 27
The charge against Jon Brown is elevated because of a previous murder charge dating to the 1980s.
By David Hench Staff Writer Maine Sunday Telegram Jon Brown, a 52-year-old ex-convict who tried to murder someone in the 1980s,
now is accused of trying to kill the man who helped to raise him. Brown was charged formally Wednesday with aggravated attempted murder,
elevated aggravated assault and robbery. His bail was set at $500,000. He is being held in the Cumberland County Jail. Police say he beat
Harold Small with a blunt object Sunday night at Small’s home in Gray, tied him up with duct tape and then shot him in the head with a small-
caliber rifle. Small, 64, freed himself and went to a neighbor’s home for help.
State Police: Prentiss shooting a murder-suicide
PRENTISS TWP., Maine (NEWS CENTER WCSH 5/27/10) -- State police released the names of the couple found dead in their Averill Road
home Tuesday morning. They are Dean and Debbie Meitzler, both 51.
The state medical examiner says the autopsies have confirmed that both died of gunshot wounds.
Police say that Dean Meitzler shot and killed his wife with a rifle and then turned the gun on himself. It happened in the bedroom of their
home.
Shooting victim in serious condition
Man shot in face on Indian Island
INDIAN ISLAND, Maine — Family members of Mitchell King say he is out of intensive care, but remains at Eastern Maine Medical
Center in Bangor recovering from a gunshot wound to his face
King, 35, was listed in critical condition on Tuesday and had improved and was listed in serious condition on Wednesday, an
EMMC nursing supervisor reported.
Penobscot Indian Nation police are investigating the shooting at a residence on Oak Hill Road, which was reported to them at
about 12:15 a.m. Tuesday by someone at the mobile home, Police Chief Robert Bryant said Tuesday.
Penobscot Indian Nation Chief Kirk Francis said Wednesday that police were continuing their investigation and he referred any
further questions to the police chief.
King was shot “in the jaw,” his uncle said Wednesday, adding that he was told the weapon was a 357-caliber handgun. “I can’t
verify that,” Mitchell said. “It was just lucky it didn’t hit an inch different.”
Another relative, who did not want to be named, said the bullet “blew his chin apart. He lost all of his teeth and has metal plates
now.”
Former sheriff pleads guilty to weapons charge
MACHIAS, Maine (NEWS CENTER WCSH 5/25/10) -- Former Washington County Sheriff Joseph Tibbetts pled guilty to a misdemeanor
weapons charge.
Tibbetts pled guilty to threatening display of a dangrous weapon , which is a class D misdemeanor, in Washington County superior court
Monday. He made the plea as part of a deal that prosecutors drop a felony charge of criminal threatening with a firearm. It stems from an
incident last summer in which he pulled out his
gun and frightened a woman, her boyfriend, and her two young children.
Man fined $8,000 for bringing guns across border
Published Monday May 24th, 2010 Telegraph Journal ST. STEPHEN - A judge fined an Alberta man $8,000 for attempting to cross the
international border into Canada at St. Stephen with two guns.
Hugh Alexander Landry, 66, pleaded guilty in St. Stephen provincial court to failing to declare a restricted .38 Colt handgun and a
shotgun that border services agents discovered in his fifth wheel trailer. He pleaded guilty to two additional charges of illegal possession of firearms.
Landry, an Alberta resident with a summer home in Antigonish, N.S., crossed the Ferry Point Bridge from Calais, Maine, to St. Stephen
on his way back from a vacation in Lafayette, La.. He travelled alone.
The agents found the handgun and ammunition in a compartment under the stairway and the shotgun in a closet. The firearms were
not registered. Landry did not have a permit for the restricted weapon.
Landry admitted to lying when the border agents asked if he had firearms and that he knowingly possessed the guns unlawfully, federal
Crown prosecutor Peter Thorn said.
May 24
The man wanted in connection with the shooting of a Gray man Sunday night was taken into custody about 7 p.m. today at a rental cabin
along Roosevelt Trail in Windham, police said.
Jon Brown was captured by the State Police Tactical Team, which surrounded the cabin. He surrendered without incident and was taken to
the State Police barracks in Gray for questioning.
State Police, assisted by the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, Windham Police and the Southern Maine Violent Crimes Task Force, had
been searching for Brown all day.
Brown will be charged with attempted murder, elevated aggravated assault and robbery in connection with the shooting of Harold Small late
Sunday night inside Small's house in Gray.
May 14 Morning Sentinal
AUGUSTA -- A Chelsea man is facing charges in connection with several drive-by shootings in March. William Casey Jones, 19, was charged with
seven felony counts of reckless conduct with a firearm, Augusta police Lt. Keith Brann said Wednesday. Jones, who was arrested May 7, has
since been released on $1,000 cash bail. He expected to appear June 29 in Kennebec County Superior Court. Jones, who has admitted to
the shootings, acted alone, Brann said. The charges stem from a March 9 spree in which Jones allegedly shot at six houses and a moving
vehicle while driving in Augusta and Chelsea.
3/31/10 |
Man shot by intruder in central Maine home
CLINTON, Maine — State and Clinton police are investigating a shooting early Wednesday afternoon in which a local man was
injured.
Though details remained sketchy Wednesday afternoon, Pomelow said the shooting occurred about 12:30 p.m. in Dodge’s
home.
Dodge reportedly was alone at his home when an unknown individual wearing dark clothing and possibly a mask entered the
residence, fired one shot at Dodge and left on foot, Pomelow said.
Pomelow said Dodge took out his own gun and returned fired but missed the suspect. Dodge then called a friend or family
member, who contacted police.
By David Hench dhench@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer 03/22/10
The State Medical Examiner has concluded a Limington woman, whose body was found Friday in Upton, was killed with a
gunshot wound to the head.
Probe of drive-by shootings in Augusta, Chelsea continues
By Craig Crosby ccrosby@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer , Kennebec Journal 3/19/10
AUGUSTA -- The investigation into last week's drive-by shootings in Augusta and Chelsea is ongoing, Augusta police said
Thursday. Lt. Keith Brann said detectives have conducted several interviews since the shootings.
Man arrested in shooting at father’s Holden home
HOLDEN, Maine — A fight between a local man and his 29-year-old son escalated Sunday to the point where the son apparently pulled out a handgun and shot his father’s empty truck several times, Police Chief Gene Worcester said Monday.
Posted: 03/11/2010 12:00 AM
Updated: 10:03 AM
Case of 100 handguns: Police arrest two felons
Charges that the Massachusetts men plotted to buy guns in Maine and sell them back
home may revive a touchy issue.
By Trevor Maxwell tmaxwell@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
PORTLAND — Two men with criminal records in Massachusetts have been charged in federal court with illegally buying handguns in Maine. Joseph Burns of Lynn,
Mass., and Marvin Davis of Boston were arrested March 4 in Wells during a sting operation by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Portland, a York County man told federal agents that he had sold about 100 handguns to Burns since
September or early October. Agents had additional information that Burns had been buying guns in Maine, destroying the serial numbers and reselling them in
Massachusetts.
On March 4, Burns allegedly drove Davis to the park-and-ride lot off the Maine Turnpike in Wells to buy guns from the York County man, who has not been
charged. Agents monitored the transaction and arrested Burns and Davis after the men allegedly paid $600 for a 9mm pistol and a .380-caliber pistol. Both men
are prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior convictions. Davis was convicted in 2006 of armed robbery, armed assault with intent to kill and drug
distribution in Boston. Burns was convicted in 2005 for violating an abuse prevention order and malicious destruction of property. Burns, 27, and Davis, 24, face
federal charges of being felons in possession of firearms, and conspiracy to transfer or sell firearms to an out-of-state resident. They face as much as 10 years
in prison if convicted.
Burns was released Wednesday on a $10,000 property bond. Davis continues to be held in the Cumberland County Jail in Portland. He made a brief appearance
Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge John Rich. A bail hearing and probable cause hearing were rescheduled for Monday afternoon. Peter Rodway, Davis'
court-appointed lawyer, told Rich that he needs more time to discuss the case with Davis and Davis' mother. Rodway might ask the judge to let Davis live with his
mother until the case is resolved. Federal prosecutors will seek to keep Davis in custody.
The flow of guns from Maine to Massachusetts has been a source of controversy. In 2006, an advocacy group put a message on a 250-foot billboard near Fenway
Park in Boston, claiming that Maine's lax gun-control laws were helping to fuel violence in the city. Massachusetts requires buyers of guns from private sellers to
pass the same criminal background checks required of buyers from federally licensed firearms dealers.
In Maine and several other states, private buyers of firearms must supply only proof of residency in that state. Recent proposals to toughen the regulations in
Maine have failed in the Legislature.
Stanley Jenkins, 22, a member of a Boston street gang, was sentenced last year to 17½ years in prison for trafficking guns and drugs between Boston and Maine.
Jenkins recruited people to buy more than 20 guns through the popular classified bulletin Uncle Henry's, based in Augusta. He then sold some of the guns and
distributed others to members of his gang, the Franklin Hill Giants. Jenkins told investigators that he usually doubled or tripled his money by buying the guns in
Maine and selling them in Boston. Soon after Jenkins was sentenced, the Boston Herald announced that it would stop distributing Uncle Henry's in the city.
3/4/10 |
Man arrested after gun fired in BAT bus
BANGOR, Maine — A Milford man was arrested late Wednesday afternoon after he fired a revolver on a BAT Community
Connector bus bound for the Old Town-Orono area, according to Bangor police.
Though no one was injured, the bullet went clear through the side of the bus, emerging just below the left rear window of the
bus, BAT Superintendent Joe McNeil said Wednesday night.
Jason Robinson, 24, has been charged with reckless conduct with a firearm and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit,
according to an official at the Penobscot County Jail. Robinson also was being held on a warrant for failure to appear for a
criminal mischief charge from Oct. 3, 2008.
McNeil said that Robinson reportedly wanted to sell the revolver — which Bangor police Sgt. Bob Bishop confirmed was a .357
magnum — and had taken it out to show to other passengers, who were urging him to put it away. The gun then went off,
McNeil said, adding that it appeared to be an accidental discharge. He said there were at least 20 passengers on board at the
time, which was shortly after 4:15 p.m.
Maine Bank and Trust in Sanford robbed
Friday, February 26, 2010
SANFORD, Maine — The Sanford Police Department is asking for the public's help in apprehending a suspect who robbed Maine Bank and Trust at 1105 Main St. on
Thursday afternoon. "The suspect was possibly armed with a long gun," Deputy Police Chief Craig Sanford said in a press release. According to Sanford, the
suspect is described as a white male in his 20s wearing a black knit hat and a navy blue rain coat. He was approximately 6 feet tall and had short, dirty blond hair.
Yarmouth Bank Manager Rebuffs Would-Be Robber
Man Flees After Being Refused Cash
POSTED: 3:33 pm EST February 23, 2010
UPDATED: 8:49 am EST February 24, 2010
YARMOUTH, Maine -- Yarmouth police are looking for a man who made an unsuccessful attempt at robbing a Norway
Savings Bank branch on Route 1 Tuesday afternoon.
A man passed a manager a note demanding money and saying that he had a gun, police said. The manager refused.
3 Men From Maine Arrested On Gun Charges
Hartford Courant
2:44 p.m. EST, February 22, 2010
HARTFORD - Three men from Maine who were pulled over for erratic driving, had a fully loaded firearm, ammunition and $10,000 cash, police
said.
Police confiscated the money and a 9mm Glock with a 32 round magazine attached.
The suspects were identified as Jason Josselyn, 22, Angus Pfister, 18 and Noah Pfister, 20. They were charged Feb. 18 with interfering with
police, possession of a firearm without a permit and weapons in a motor vehicle.
The driver, Noah Pfister, was also charged with a motor vehicle violation. Each was held on $500,000 bond.
—Hilda Muñoz
Teen accused of pointing rifle at police
2/23/10
ELLSWORTH, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Police in Ellsworth said a teenager pointed a rifle at them as they tried to break up a party at his
home Saturday night.
Police said they got an anonymous tip that there was underage drinking going on at the home on Mariaville Road. They said when they
showed up around 11 p.m., they found a number of teens who were drinking, including a 14-year-old. It was then, according to police, that
a 16-year-old who lived at the house pointed the gun at them.
The situation ended peacefully when the teen dropped the rifle. Police arrested him along with a 20-year-old who had been wanted for
failing to appear in court.
2/18/10 - 2009 Brady Scorecard Released - Maine ranks only 11 points out of 100.
California earns highest ranking (79 points) for strongest gun laws in Nation.
Brady Campaign to Prevent Violence
Second Maine Man Arrested
02/19/10 |
By The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Maine — A second Maine man is due in court to answer charges in connection with the shooting death of a Portland man who was attending a party.
Police capture fleeing Bangor man
Suspect has run from police on other occasions
“Not having any idea why he was running … I gave chase across the street,” the trooper said. “I find him in the bedroom and
he tells me he has a gun. He has his hand behind his back and I believe he did” have a weapon.
2/10/10 |
2 injured after shooting in Etna home
No charges have been filed as police continue to investigate
ETNA, Maine —
“A young fellow came in with a bunch of stolen guns and was trying to sell them guns,” said Walter Gibbons Sr., who owns
the trailer where his son, Walter Gibbons Jr., lives. The man, who is about 25, “got mad because they wouldn’t buy a gun, and
he popped in a clip” and the gun went off, hitting a visiting male in the hand, the elder Gibbons said.
The bullet went through the man’s hand and struck the lower back of Gibbons Sr.’s granddaughter, who is around 22 years old,
the elder Gibbons said.
State troopers offer presence at Maine schools
Submitted by The Associated Press on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 13:12
AUGUSTA — Maine State Police have sent a letter to the state's school superintendents offering more visibility from state troopers
around their school buildings. The state police chief, Col. Patrick Fleming, said Monday the idea is to increase school visits from
troopersin towns and cities not covered by full-time police departments. Fleming said the increased presence of troopers will help
familiarize them with the school's layout, staff and students in the event of an incident. The new program was initiated in the aftermath of an
October 2008 incident at the Stockton Springs elementary school in which a man with a gun entered the building and held students
hostage. The incident ended peacefully and no one was hurt.
Kittery woman faces gun charges
By Deborah Mcdermott
dmcdermott@seacoastonline.com
February 09, 2010 2:00 AM
KITTERY, Maine — A Kittery woman has been indicted in York County Superior Court on a number of charges in connection with a
November incident in which she allegedly kept her boyfriend at bay with a gun. Dorothy I. Combis, also known as Dorothy Heary, 40, 38
Ridgewood Drive, was indicted on two counts of reckless conduct with a firearm, one count of firearm possession by a felon and one
count of criminal threatening with a firearm, all Class C felonies.
Police: Carjacking followed burglary
NORTH HAMPTON – A Stratham motorist got more than he bargained for when he stopped to help a woman and a man with a bloodied
hand who flagged him down Friday.
What the 38-year-old man didn't know was that the duo standing in the middle of Lovering Road were on the run from police and had
allegedly burglarized a nearby house belonging to a Hampton police officer moments earlier.
As the Good Samaritan rolled down the window of his 2002 Volvo to offer help, the man, later identified as Adam Pento, 32, of Sanford,
Maine, aimed a gun at him, police said in an affidavit.
Pento allegedly held the gun across his lap -- the muzzle pointed at the man -- and ordered him to drive them to Amesbury, Mass.
Police say shooting suspect hid in van
Bail is set at $200,000 cash for Samuel Caison of Whitefield, who's been charged in the incident.
By BETTY ADAMS and CRAIG CROSBY, Kennebec JournalFebruary 6, 2010
AUGUSTA — The prime suspect in Wednesday's daytime shooting in Augusta was found hiding under a blanket in the back seat of a van being driven away from a
home in Whitefield.
Details of Wednesday's shooting and the subsequent arrest of Caison were described in an affidavit that Augusta police Detective Vicente Morris filed Friday in
Augusta District Court.
The filing came just hours after a high school student found what police say is likely the weapon used in the shooting.
Newcastle man sentenced to 15 months on gun charge
BANGOR, Maine - A Newcastle man was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court to 15 months in prison for being a felon
in possession of a firearm. Kurt F. Martin, 54, of Newcastle also was sentenced to three years of supervised release after he Martin
was prohibited from possessing guns due to two federal felony convictions – one in 1979 for possession of a stolen Treasury
check and in 2002 for possession of firearms after a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction, according to the U.S.
Attorney’s Office.
Family blames gang members for teen’s death
BANGOR, Maine — John “Bobby” Surles, who was mortally wounded by a gunshot on Wednesday, was defending a friend
during a group fight on Cumberland Street when a fellow teenager turned a gun on him and pulled the trigger, family
members said Friday.
Police: Spruce Head man took his own life
court news
Grand jury hands up indictments
DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine — A Medford man who police say pointed a loaded revolver at a state trooper was among
several people indicted Thursday by the Piscataquis County grand jury.
David Hathorn, 54, of Medford, who police say refused to sign a summons and then pointed a loaded gun at a trooper, was
indicted on two counts of criminal trespass, criminal threatening, failure to sign a summons, refusing to submit to arrest and
violations of conditions of release.
Defense: Sex party shooting an 'accident'
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Submitted by Trevor Maxwell on Mon, 01/11/2010 - 13:2
PORTLAND — At the opening day of his manslaughter trial, lawyers for Bruce Lavallee-Davidson this morning said he checked his .44-
caliber revolver three times -- to make sure that it was not loaded -- before putting the barrel to the head of Fred Wilson during a
session of extreme sex play. But the gun was loaded, and when Lavallee-Davidson pulled the trigger for a second time in the early
morning of April 18, 2009, the 50-year-old Wilson was shot and killed in the basement of his South Portland home.
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Portland couple treated for bullet wounds
Submitted by David Hench on Fri, 01/08/2010 - 12:28
Portland police say armed attackers apparently burst in on a man and a woman in their apartment at 25 Rackleff St. early this morning, shooting each of them in
their extremities. The two young adults were taken to the hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening. The victims have said they do not know the two
people who attacked them and said nothing appeared to have been taken, police said. Police do not believe the crime was random, in part because such attacks
are rare and also because whoever was responsible seemed familiar with the layout of the apartment. The shooting happened at about 1:30 a.m. in a green, two-
story apartment building on the road off Stevens Avenue at the intersection with Seeley Road. A bullet grazed the man in the upper arm and the woman was shot
in the upper thigh and thumb, police said. The attackers apparently used a handgun but police have not disclosed information about what kind of gun was used.
Two men arrested on gun charges outside shipyard
Truckers' licenses for concealed weapons are not valid in Maine; arrests made and Rep. Pingree to review case
edinan@seacoastonline.com
January 09, 2010 2:00 AM
KITTERY, Maine — Two Pennsylvania truckers hauling welding supplies were charged with trying to bring concealed weapons into
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The pair had gun licenses issued in their home state, but they're not valid in Maine.
Maine woman, 82, charged with gun in fed
building
By Associated Press
Wednesday, January 6, 2010 - Added 1d 2h ago
AUGUSTA, Maine — An 82-year-old Maine woman is facing charges she tried to carry a concealed handgun into a federal building in Augusta.
Imelda Yorkus, of Whitefield, says she forgot she had the gun when she tried to go to the post office in the Edmund S. Muskie Federal
building on Tuesday afternoon.
Update: No foul play found in Wiscasset gun death
Submitted by The Associated Press on Tue, 01/05/2010 - 13:24
Updated at 1:21 p.m.
WISCASSET -- There is no indication of foul play in the shooting death of Tyler Wyley today, Maine State Police said this afternoon.
Steve McCausland, spokeman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said the investigation is continuing into Wyley's death shortly after midnight this morning.
He said that autopsy results are on hold while additional testing is conducted, but added that the three others who were in the mobile home in Wiscasset at the
time of Wyley's shooting have been cooperative with police,McCausland also said a .22-caliber rifle, believed to have been used in the shooting, and other
evidence from inside the home has been taken to the state's crime lab for analysis.
Carthage Man Injured After Handgun Accidentally
Discharges
Quadriplegic's Pistol Goes Off Monday
POSTED: 1:57 pm EST January 5, 2010
UPDATED: 2:41 pm EST January 5, 2010
WMTW News
FARMINGTON, Maine -- A Carthage man accidentally shot himself in the calf Monday morning when he set off
a small pistol in his sweatshirt pocket. David Jackson, 46, is a quadriplegic and the handgun he had was loaded and had
no safety, said Sgt. Vicki Gardner of the state police.
Message on wall prompts search of Maine schools
Submitted by admin on Mon, 01/04/2010 - 13:35
Associated Press
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Portland officials say two public schools were locked down and police were called after a threatening message was
found written on a bathroom wall.
Police were called to search the Lyman Moore Middle School after the message was discovered Monday morning. WCSH-TV said parents were
told the message said that someone had a gun.
Children were kept inside their classrooms at the Lyman Moore school and the adjacent Lyseth Elementary School while police searched for a
gun. School officials said the children were all safe and that no weapon was found.
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12/30/09 | 92 comments
Presque Isle tensions end tenure of manager
Friction with City Council spurs decision not to renew
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — When a city councilor began wearing a gun to council meetings,
City Manager Tom Stevens knew his problems were more complicated than ever.
Alleged threat
Stevens said he became even more fearful after McPherson telephoned him in September 2008,
irate that
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Gorham Man Accused Of Creating Police Standoff
Police Say Man Was Threatening To Harm Himself
POSTED: 7:41 am EST December 29, 2009
UPDATED: 8:43 am EST December 29, 2009
GORHAM, Maine -- A man from Gorham is facing a charge of creating a police standoff.
Authorities with the Gorham Police Department said Robert Doherty was threatening to harm himself with a gun, so
officers responded to 54 Maple Drive around 9 p.m. on Monday. Officers took a loaded 12 gauge shot gun and a rifle
from the home, according to police.
Brewer man arrested for alleged gun thefts
BREWER, Maine — Police have caught the man who they say broke into a North Main Street home of an acquaintance and
took seven guns, Brewer police Detective Nelson Ferro said Monday.
“Most of the guns have been recovered,” he said. “We’re still working on one.”
Accused shooter appears in court
Man charged with attempted murder
BELFAST, Maine — With his wounded left arm in a sling and showing a blackened left eye, the Searsport man who was shot by
a state trooper attempting to arrest him for allegedly shooting a friend, stood silent when he appeared in court Friday on
charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault.
Washington County Sheriff's Office finds gun used in drive-by shooting
12/22/09
MILBRIDGE, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- The sheriff in Washington County said his deputies have found a weapon they believe was used in a
drive-by shooting in Milbridge this week.
Sherman Merchant and Benjamin Ray face charges of aggravated reckless conduct with a firearm. The Washington County Sheriff said the
men opened fire on the home of Oscar Cruiz at 120 Main Street in Milbridge.
Cruiz was hit by a small round but was not seriously wounded and did not require medical treatment.
Authorities say that Cruiz was involved in a minor traffic accident with Sherman the day before the shooting.
Officers found a 22-caliber handgun in Millbridge Friday night that they have tied to the shooting.
Fatal shooting took place after domestic dispute
ROCKLAND, Maine — Police said Tuesday that the 19-year-old Spruce Head man who died of a gunshot wound
Sunday night took his own life.
OLD TOWN, Maine — Police are saying that the boys who shot up a Ford truck parked in a gravel pit
off Route 16 Sunday may have done so in retaliation for having been told to leave the area by two …
By Nok-Noi Ricker
BDN Staff | 12/15/09 | 5407 views
Police: Driver pointed gun during I-95 incident
GREENLAND – A Maine man is accused of pulling a gun on another driver on Interstate 95 yesterday morning in a road rage
incident that reportedly had the two vehicles traveling at speeds of about 100 mph.
Help sought after gun theft from Kittery home
news@seacoastonline.com
December 09, 2009 2:00 AM
KITTERY, Maine — Police are seeking the public's help as they investigate a home burglary that occurred Nov. 30 on
Ridgewood Drive. Four rifles, a shotgun, four pistols and a 50-inch plasma television were stolen. Total value of the
items is $3,000, Soule said.
Police: Woman threatened boyfriend
news@seacoastonline.com
December 08, 2009 2:00 AMYORK, Maine — York, Eliot, and Kittery officers responded early Friday morning
to a domestic violence complaint involving firearms on Beech Ridge Road. The incident ended in the arrest of a
female York resident.
Two guns were found in the house. Police returned to the home at 2:14 p.m., referencing bail conditions, and
removed 39 rounds of ammunition and a handgun case. At that time, Dennett complained to the officers of
alleged past harassing phone calls, and police advised her how to obtain a restraining order from the court.
12/5/09 |
Lee man sentenced to more than 4 years for sawed-off shotgun
BANGOR, Maine — A Lee man was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court to four years and three months in federal prison for
possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun.The state and federal charges stem from the same incident on Nov. 30,
2008. Lee was arrested after he reportedly shot off a gun while visiting a relative in Springfield, then tried to run from police.
NEWPORT, Maine — A reported drive-by shooting Sunday in Newport turned out to be a self-inflicted accident and a case of
three people telling the same lie, according to police. more
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BAILEYVILLE, Maine — Maine State Police are investigating several car burglaries in the Domtar parking lot that were discovered
when the overnight shift let out Saturday morning and workers returned to their vehicles. more
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Rochester man shoots self in hand climbing into tree stand
Saturday, November 28, 2009
FARMINGTON — Authorities say a Rochester man hunting off Route 11 suffered a serious hand injury Friday morning when he shot
himself with his muzzleloader while climbing into a tree stand.
Hunter wounded in Sidney
SIDNEY, Maine (NEWS CENTER)-- Wardens say Stacey Badillo was out hunting with an apprentice license when the accident
happened on Wednesday.
She was with her boyfriend and three others hunters just south of Summer Haven Road about one o'clock when Badillo
says she rested the barrel of her shotgun on her foot and the gun went off. The buckshot went through her boot and
her right foot, into the ground. She was taken to Maine General Hospital for treatment.
York pharmacy robbed of OxyContin by man who said he had gun
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
YORK, Maine — Police are investigating an early morning robbery at the York Hannaford Supermarket in which a suspect is believed to have had a gun and demanded OxyContin from a store pharmacist.
Attempted murder trial under waySubmitted by Trevor
Maxwell on Wed, 11/18/2009 - 13:03
Central Maine Newspapers Portland Press Herald
PORTLAND — A trial is under way today for 23-year-old Brandon Brown, a Portland man accused of an attempted murder in 2008 that
left a U.S. Marine paralyzed from the waist down. Brown shot James Sanders with a .357-caliber handgun outside a club in the Old Port
in the early morning of June 24, 2008. At the time, Sanders was a rugged 27-year-old Marine who had served as a sniper in Afghanistan,
and was on active duty with a reserve company in Topsham.
Gun Found In Portland Teacher's Bag
Riverton Elementary Assistant Teacher Under Investigation
POSTED: 5:28 pm EST November 18, 2009
UPDATED: 8:00 am EST November 19, 2009
PORTLAND, Maine --
An assistant teacher at Riverton Elementary School in Portland was placed on administrative leave
Wednesday after an incident involving a gun on campus.
Riverton Elementary School Principal Nancy Kopack said the female assistant teacher -- who is described
as a long-time educational technician -- inadvertently brought a gun into the school Wednesday morning.
Apparently, a family member packed the handgun in a swim bag instead of putting it in her car.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Police: 2 shot to death in Maine
AP-ME — Old Orchard Deaths
Police: 2 shot to death in Maine
Eds: APNewsNow. ADDS details about victims being a man and woman, a gun being recovered, and the bodies being taken to medical
examiner’s office.
OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine (AP) — Maine state police are at a home where two people were found shot death in the seaside town of Old
Orchard Beach.Spokesman Steve McCausland says the bodies of a man and woman were discovered by a neighbor shortly after 9 a.m.
Tuesdayin a home on Pleasant Street. McCausland says a gun has been recovered. The bodies are being taken to the state medical
examiner’s office for examination.
Emben Stand Off Ends Peacefully Friday SOMERSET COUNTY (NEWS CENTER)—11/14/09
No on was hurt in a stand off early Friday morning in Emden, and one man is under arrest.
Officials say a woman called the Somerset County Sheriff's Department at 12:45am Friday morning saying her husband,
31-year-old Mark Walls, was drunk, had a gun, and was saying he was going to kill himself. She said he would not let her
or 3 children who were in the home leave. Sheriff's deputies, Maine State Police and the State Tactical Team surrounded
the house. Deputies arrested Walls shortly after 4 Friday morning without incident.
Domestic dispute leads to gun charges for woman
Woman arrested on gun violation
dmcdermott@seacoastonline.com
November 11, 2009 2:00 AM
KITTERY, Maine — Police arrested a local woman on multiple charges Tuesday, after she was allegedly found pointing a
gun at her residence, where she lived with her boyfriend.
Dorothy Irene Combis, who also goes by the name of Dorothy Heary, 40, of 38 Ridgewood Drive, was arrested without
injury to herself or others.
According to police, a man who identified himself as Combis' boyfriend called the station at 10:47 a.m. to say his
girlfriend was armed with a hand gun and knife and was attempting to set his truck on fire.
11/07/09
11/3/09 |
Bangor teen arrested in concealed-gun case
BANGOR, Maine — A local teenager was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon after Finson Road residents
called police Sunday night to report gunshots, Bangor police Sgt. Paul Edwards said Monday.
Accused hostage-taker appears in Belfast court
STOCKTON SPRINGS, Maine — A year has passed since an armed gunman allegedly terrified local schoolchildren
when he stormed into their fifth-grade classroom last Halloween and held them hostage, and the accused has yet
to be tried on the resulting charges.
Randall Brian Hofland, 56, of Searsport was indicted on 22 counts of kidnapping, 12 counts of criminal restraint
with a dangerous weapon, six counts of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, and one count of burglary
after the Oct. 31, 2008, hostage-taking incident at Stockton Springs Elementary School.
MANHUNT CONTINUES
BY SCOTT MONROE
Staff Writer10/29/2009
NEWPORT -- Following a reported sighting of a man near the woods, police on Wednesday evening intensified their search
for Perley Goodrich Jr., who's been wanted for questioning since late Monday.
That's when his father, Perley Goodrich Sr., was found shot to death and his mother Sandra severely beaten. Police said the
younger Goodrich was last seen leaving his parents' home on Rutland Road, where the incident took place.
Police said Goodrich Jr., 45, could be "armed and dangerous," because guns were missing from the residence.
October 27th, 2009
55-plus officers seeking Maine shooting suspect
NEWPORT, Maine — More than 55 police officers and three aircraft are searching for a man whose father was shot to
death and mother severely beaten in Maine.
Police are looking for 45-year-old Perley Goodrich Jr., who was last seen at about 11:30 p.m. Monday leaving the home
he shared with his parents in Newport, a town of about 3,000 people nearly 30 miles west of Bangor.
10/28/09 |
Shotgun threat alleged as lobster wars flare anew
ROCKLAND, Maine — Officials are investigating a complaint that two Tenants Harbor lobstermen cut lobster traps
and oneof them threatened another lobsterman with a shotgun.
The alleged incident occurred at sea last Thursday, according to a temporary protection from harassment order
filed Friday inRockland District Court. Ty Babb of Tenants Harbor wrote that lobstermen Craig Hupper and his
son, Josh Hupper, both of Tenants Harbor, were cutting Babb’s traps. He also wrote that Josh Hupper
threatened him with a gun.
10/27/09
10/23/09
Tech school probes toy gun shooting
10/17/2009
WATERVILLE -- A student who allegedly fired plastic BBs from a toy gun at another student outside Mid-Maine Technical
Center Thursday has been told not to return to that school.
In Acton: Son enters pleas in fatal shooting of father
Thursday, October 15, 2009
ALFRED — An Acton man accused of shooting his father made an appearance in York County Superior Court in Alfred last week.
Ross I. Morrill, 22, entered pleas of not guilty and not criminally responsible — or not guilty by reason of insanity — in the shooting death of
his father, Robert Morrill, 55, on April 25. Ross Morrill remains in custody at Riverview Psychiatric Center, where he has been a patient
since shortly after his arrest.
10/15/09 |
Orland man found guilty of terrorizing
ELLSWORTH, Maine — An Orland man has been convicted in Hancock County Superior Court of threatening to kill
another man.
The jury convicted Saunders of domestic violence terrorizing, criminal use of explosives and possession of a
machine gun. Saunders was acquitted of a charge of criminal threatening, according to court documents.
Pool hall patron's shot was painful to watch
10/24/09
PLAISTOW – A Kingston man suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the leg Thursday night using a gun allegedly stolen
from a home in Maine, police said. Police said they later learned that the firearm was reported stolen by the Lisbon Police
Department in Maine.
Let's review the principles of gun safety
October 22, 2009 2:00 AM, Seacoast Online
Last Friday marked the beginning of the third week of bird and rabbit season in Maine and the fourth injury due to
accidental shooting. Fortunately, the shotgun pellets in all four incidents caused non-life threatening injuries.
Last Friday a Pennsylvania teenager was struck by pellets while rabbit hunting with his family. The uncle who was
responsible for the accident was unaware the teen was in the thicket when he shot at a hare.
Six days earlier a young hunter was accidentally shot in the lower leg and foot with shot gun pellets by his friend while
duck hunting.
Just two days before that, one bird hunter was struck in the cheek when a pellet ricocheted off a tree when his friend
shot at a woodcock.
Opening day, Oct. 1, a bird hunter received shotgun pellets to his chest while hunting for pheasant.
Police seek information in Bath heist
Submitted by From Staff Reports on Wed, 10/21/2009 - 01:40 Portland Press Herald
BATH — Bath police are investigating a robbery that took place late Monday night at the Cumberland Farms
convenience store on Route 1.
Police Chief Mike Field said a man entered the store around 10:30 p.m. and threatened the clerk with a firearm if she
did not hand over cash.
Gun smugglers aided by U.S. yard-sale loophole
Last Updated: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 | 11:45 AM ET
The origin of handguns smuggled into Canada from the U.S. is often impossible to track due to a U.S. loophole that lets dealers
sell guns without any paperwork at garage sales, auctions and gun shows.
Once someone sells a gun through that type of a private transaction in the U.S., police can no longer follow its trail, said Ottawa
police Det. Chris Benson.
"'Cause there's no document and he hasn't broken the law," Benson said, "we can't trace that firearm beyond him. And after he sells
it, that could exchange hands 10 times before it's used in a crime and recovered and maybe make its way up to Canada."
Smuggled gun used in double-homicide
Last Updated: Monday, October 19, 2009 | 7:39 AM ET
A gun smuggled into Canada from Maine was found near the site of a double shooting in Ottawa in 2007.
A gun allegedly used in two Ottawa homicides in 2007 was smuggled hundreds of kilometres from a rural corner of Maine into
Canada.
The gun — a .40 calibre HiPoint semi-automatic pistol — costs less than a base-model iPod in the U.S., and was allegedly used to
shoot Ziad Ahmad, 32, and Phillip Salmon, 23, at Pari's Motel in Ottawa's east end two years ago.
Police used the gun's serial number to trace it to the Maine Military Supply store in Brewer, Maine where it was sold on June 13,
2006. Lawrence Sears, a 63-year-old with no criminal record, had purchased the gun, and seven other HiPoint pistols, the same
day.
Sears was what police call a "straw purchaser" — a front man who buys guns for a smuggler. The smuggler then took the weapons
across the U.S. border.
Westbrook Police Nab Alleged Robber
Suspect Arrested In Scarborough
POSTED: 3:42 pm EDT October 19, 2009
UPDATED: 3:59 pm EDT October 19, 2009
WESTBROOK, Maine -- Westbrook police said they have made an arrest in a robbery at a store on Main
Street.
Police said Tamara, McKinney, 26, robbed the Sticker Station Friday night, telling a clerk she had a gun
and then took off with some money.
Officers arrested her a short-time later on Payne Road in Scarborough.
THOMASTON (Oct 18): An arrest or summons does not constitute a finding of guilt. An individual charged
with a crime is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at criminal proceedings.
Law enforcement officials with Troop D of the Maine State Police responded to the following incidents in Waldo County
during the past week. Anyone with information regarding ongoing investigations is asked to call 1-800-452-4664.
Oct. 5
Trooper Corey Smith investigated a report of an assault and theft in Thorndike. The complainant reported that on Oct. 2,
he was confronted and assaulted by two males who were unhappy as the result of a recent business transaction. The
men also took a firearm from the complainant. Smith was able to locate and recover the firearm, and then returned it to
the owner. The investigation is ongoing.
Oct. 7
Trooper Ryan Brockway responded to a report of a stolen firearm on Marina Road in Unity. The complainant reported
having left his 12-gauge shotgun on top of a fencepost while loading other items into his vehicle. The complainant drove
off, forgetting about the shotgun until several hours later. When he returned, the gun was gone. An investigation
revealed a Unity College student had found the gun and turned it over to Unity College campus security. The gun was
returned to its owner.
Berwick Bank robbed at gunpoint
Sunday, October 18, 2009
BERWICK, Maine — Police are looking for a man who brandished a handgun during an armed robbery at Kennebunk Savings Bank Saturday morning.
Police from several local departments responded at 9:37 a.m. after a man walked into the bank at 2 School St. with "a large frame semi
automatic pistol" and requested money. After receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, he fled on foot toward Bernier and George streets,
police said.
Police Investigate Auburn Dunkin' Donuts
Robbery
Robber Showed A Gun And Got Away With Cash
AUBURN, Maine -- Auburn police were investigating an armed robbery at the Dunkin' Donuts on Riverside
Drive in New Auburn Tuesday evening.
Police said a man walked into the store at about 8:20 p.m., showed the clerk a gun tucked in his
waistband and demanded money.
Sanford, Auburn Pharmacies Robbed
Published : Monday, 12 Oct 2009, 7:24 AM EDT
SANFORD and AUBURN - Police in Maine are investigating two robberies at two different supermarket pharmacies on Saturday,
one on Auburn, the other in Sanford.
On Saturday afternoon, a man walked into a Shaw's at 600 Center Street in Auburn and handed a pharmacist a note that said
he had a gun and demanded painkillers. He got away with an undisclosed amount of oxycodone.
Police say the man is 5'4" with a stocky build and a thin beard. If you recognize the suspect, you are urged to call Auburn
Police at 207-333-6650.
Later Saturday afternoon, a man who claimed to have a gun demanded OxyContin from the pharmacy at the Hannaford
Supermarket in Sanford. Witnesses say the man was seen leaving on a bicycle.
Sanford Police describe the suspect as a white man in his early 30s and wearing a maroon jacket and white hat at the time of
the robbery. If you have any information about the robbery, please call the Sanford Police Department at 207-324-3644.
(Provided by News 13)
Hunter Shot on First Day of Pheasant Hunting Season
10/02/2009 11:24 AM ET
James Morrill, 59, was hunting with friends on Cheabeague Island in Casco Bay when he was struck in the chest with a pellet from a shotgun
blast aimed at a pheasant.
A pheasant hunter is recovering after being hit in the chest with a shotgun pellet on the first day of Maine's pheasant hunting season.
Duck Hunting Accident Third in Maine This Season
10/12/2009 10:22 AM ET
A Mapleton man in his 20's, hunting in a remote township in Aroostook County, is the latest victim. A Maine duck hunter is recovering after
being hit with bird shot Saturday, while hunting with a friend in Aroostook County. That’s according to the Maine Warden Service, which
says the Mapleton man, who is in his 20s, was struck in lower leg and foot while hunting along Realty Road in a remote township in the
county.
The Warden Service says this is the third bird hunting accident in Maine this season. On October 1, a pheasant hunter was hit in thechest by
bird shot while hunting on Chebeague Island. He was treated and released.
And on Thursday, a Great Falls, Virginia, man was struck in the cheek while hunting with a friend in Long Pond Township. The pellet
apparently ricocheted off a tree and hit John Burke, 45, in the cheek, authorities say. The men drove to C.A. Dean Hospital in Greenville,
where Burke was treated and released.
Police piecing together standoff
09/10/2009
from the Kennebec Journal
LEWISTON -- Police on Wednesday continued to investigate a standoff that ended in suicide last week, but authorities failed to turn up a
handgun the dead man allegedly used to threaten a neighbor.Police said they planned to again interview that neighbor, Justin Lee Lord, 31,
of 2 Towle St., in an effort to determine whether he was truthful when he told police he was a victim of criminal threatening with a
dangerous weapon.
Daniel Bussiere, 49, of 163 Holland St. died Sept. 3 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head and neck, a spokeswoman at the Maine
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said. His suicide came about 20 hours after a police standoff.
Third man involved in Dover Hannaford robbery convicted
By Aaron Sanborn
asanborn@fosters.com
Thursday, September 10, 2009
CONCORD — A third man involved in the September 008 armed robbery of the Central Avenue Hannaford was convicted Wednesday on multiple federal charges and could face significant prison time.
Anthony Harris, 38, of Dover, was convicted on the federal charges of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, use of a
firearm in connection with a crime of violence, felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm.
State Police Investigate Possible Foul Play In Shapleigh
SHAPLEIGH (NEWS CENTER) -- Shots being fired outside a home in Shapleigh has triggered a state police investigation
into possible foul play.
Neighbors reported hearing gunshots and screaming around six thirty Thursday morning at a home surrounded by woods
on Lake Sherburne road.
State police surrounded the home but no one was inside. They believe the shots were fired outside the home on the
edge of the woods based on evidence they discovered.
'We found some evidence that kind of raised our suspicions somewhat that there may have been some foul play
involving a gun. I am not at liberty to discuss what that is,' said Lt. Louis Nyitray with the Maine State Police.
State police could release their findings Friday. The home's owner, Rodney Gagne was not there at the time of the
shooting. He showed up several hours later. He was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor for entering the crime
scene.
Man with BB gun arrested near Bridgton school
Submitted by The Associated Press on Tue, 09/15/2009 - 13:15
BRIDGTON -- Police this morning arrested a 21-year-old Sanford man after he was spotted with what appeared to be a rifle
near the Stevens Brook Elementary School.
Residents reported seeing the man riding a bicycle with the weapon near the school at 8 a.m just as students were arriving.
Bridgton police responded to the school and state police troopers who were in the area searched near the school.
In nearby woods, they found Joshua A. Phifer of 35C Lebanon St., Sanford. Police said Phifer dropped the weapon, which
turned out to be a BB gun, when he saw police approaching, and started to walk away. With guns drawn, police confronted
Phifer and took him into custody. He struggled briefly, police said, and was charged with failure to obey police.
Phifer also was arrested on an outstanding warrant charging him with domestic violence in Massachusetts.
Two indicted on charges stemming from Kittery gun incidents
Kittery, Port City men face Class C felonies
By Dave Choate
dchoate@seacoastonline.com
September 16, 2009 2:00 AM
ALFRED, Maine — The York County Superior Court returned grand injury indictments last week for several cases out of
Kittery, including one for a man accused of threatening to kill family members in June.
An indictment was returned for Michael Flaherty, 60, of 12 Hill Creek Drive, Kittery, with two counts of criminal
threatening with a weapon, and one count of reckless conduct with a firearm, all Class C felonies. Flaherty was arrested
June 9 after he allegedly threatened to kill family members while carrying two loaded handguns — a .44-caliber Magnum
revolver and a .25-caliber handgun — and while wearing a bullet-proof vest.
At the time of the arrest, Kittery police Sgt. Daniel Soule said officers forced entry into the home after hearing cries for
help and were able to recover the loaded revolver. Flaherty was found wearing the bullet-proof vest and in possession
of the .25-caliber handgun. Also seized from his home were four rifles, two shotguns, several knives and several
hundred rounds of ammunition, according to police.
The grand jury also indicted Paul L. Hayes, 23, of 3131 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, N.H., on a charge of possession of a
firearm by a prohibited person, a Class C felony, stemming from a March arrest in Kittery. According to Kittery police,
Hayes called to report a domestic disturbance at Woodlands Commons and needed to get back into the building to
reclaim some of his belongings. There, policefound a .25-caliber semi-automatic handgun he was not permitted to
possess because of a 2004 armed robbery conviction.
Knox jury indicts 2 Matinicus men in July shooting
ROCKLAND, Maine — The Matinicus Island fisherman who was shot during a dispute over lobster gear and the
fisherman who allegedly shot him were indicted Thursday by a Knox County grand jury.
Daughter Of Lobsterman Secretly Indicted
Woman Accused Of Pointing Gun At People
POSTED: 3:00 pm EDT September 21, 2009
UPDATED: 3:27 pm EDT September 21, 2009
WMTW News
MATINICUS ISLAND, Maine -- The daughter of a Matinicus Island lobsterman accused of shooting another
lobsterman in a turf battle last July has been indicted by a Knox County grand jury on a charge of reckless
conduct with a dangerous weapon.
The grand jury secretly indicted Janan Miller, 45, of Spruce Head, last week, Knox County District
Attorney Geoff Rushlau said.
Her father, Edwin Vance Bunker, was also indicted on two counts ofaggravated elevated assault
stemming from the shooting of Christopher Young.
Rushlau said Miller pointed a gun at Young, his step-brother Weston Ames and three other people in the
moments before the shooting occurred.
Officials probe salon robbery
9/24/09
Armed man given tour of facility earlier in day
OLD TOWN, Maine — The man who robbed the Sun Tan City on Stillwater Avenue Tuesday evening got a tour
of the facility earlier in the day and displayed a handgun during the robbery, Detective Tom Adams said
Wednesday afternoon. BDN Writer Dawn Gagnon contributed to this article
Police Recover Stolen Handgun and Arrest Alleged 14-Year-Old Gang
Member
Fox 6 Springfield
Posted: Sep 23, 2009 01:10 PM EDT
By Caitlin Penndorf
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB) -- Two Springfield police officers arrested a 14-year-old alleged gang member Tuesday
on Kenyon Street after he allegedly took a gun from his pants and hid it in a vacant building, according to Springfield
Police Department Sgt. John Delaney.
The boy allegedly pulled the gun from his pants to display it to those around him and then hid the weapon in a
doorway of a nearby vacant apartment before leaving the area, according to police.
Officers recovered the gun, which was reportedly stolen from Portland, Maine, and then found the boy riding his bike
near 33 Kenyon St. He was arrested and recommended to be held at a juvenile detention center, according to
officials.
The boy was also arrested in July 2007 for an armed robbery at a convenience store in the city's Mason Square
neighborhood and for selling Crack Cocaine in 2008, according to Delaney.
Suspect in 2 armed robberies nabbed in drive-through lane
9/25/09
BREWER, Maine — A Fairfield man who allegedly flashed a handgun while robbing two area businesses in two
days was caught by a police officer who saw him sitting in a fast food restaurant’s drive-through two hours after
the second robbery. BDN writer Judy Harrison contributed to this report.
9/30/09
Addison man gets six months for guns
BANGOR, Maine — An Addison man was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court to six months in federal prison
for violating federal gun laws.
Robert W. Johnson, 45, also was sentenced to three years of supervised release after he completes his prison term
and ordered to pay a fine of $8,000.
Johnson pleaded guilty in March to being in possession of a firearm after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime
of domesticviolence.
He was convicted in 2001 of an assault on his former wife, according to court documents, which prohibited
Johnson from having guns. jharrison@bangordailynews.net
Fire chief carrying handgun at time of arrest
Submitted by Ann Kim on Thu, 10/01/2009 - 15:06
Portland Press Herald
WELLS -- Kennebunkport Fire Chief Paul Moshimer was carrying a concealed handgun with an expired permit when he was arrested for
assault last month.
Moshimer was charged with felony aggravated assault after he allegedly hit Peter Dugovic in the face with his motorcycle helmet Sept. 19.
The incident took place after Moshimer saw his fiancee's car parked at Dugovic's home on Burnt Mill Road, according to police. Police said
bones in Dugovic's face were broken.
Lt. Gerald Congdon said Moshimer told the officer about the .45-caliber handgun during his arrest, which took place without incident.
10/10/09 |Police track leads in shooting near motorcycle club
By Christopher Cousins
CANAAN, Maine — Police are investigating multiple leads after a Madison man was shot Thursday evening outside
a Hell’s Angels motorcycle club on Route 23, which is known locally as Hinckley Road.
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