More than a dozen vehicles were damaged in BB-gun shootings Sunday.
LEWISTON – Police arrested four suspects in a vandalism spree that caused thousands of dollars in damage to vehicles in Lewiston, Lisbon, Sabattus and Auburn.
Under the glare of streetlights at the intersection of Lisbon and Main streets, four cruisers formed a barrier around a white Ford Explorer at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday while police took the driver and occupants into custody. Arrested were Willie Jackson, 19, of Lisbon, and Edward Shaw, 21, of Sabattus. Both men are facing 14 counts of criminal mischief with the possibility of additional charges once police complete their investigation.
Two male teenagers, one from Poland and the other from Lisbon, were also arrested. Police suspect the four were involved in 14 separate incidents Sunday where shots were fired from a BB gun into vehicles. Eleven of the incidents occurred in Lewiston, one in Auburn and two in Lisbon.
Lewiston Police Lt. Michael McGonagle said there had been complaints of BB shootings over the past week from Lisbon, Sabattus and Auburn residents, as well as Lewiston.
Sunday’s incidents, however, did not appear to be related to a string of similar shootings of vehicles and windows that police have been investigating since early November. Those shootings were reported from mostly rural communities ranging from Paris to Gray.
Police were tipped to the Explorer by a victim of one of the shootings this afternoon. According to McGonagle, the victim was looking at the damage to his or her car on Lincoln Street when the Explorer came around and occupants shot at the parked vehicle again. The victim took note of the SUV’s make, model and color.
“The victim got a good description of the vehicle and called police,” said McGonagle. Police issued an alert and a few minutes later, Patrolman Thomas Murphy spotted the Explorer on Main Street and pulled it over.
In addition to the four male suspects, a young woman was taken into custody and later released. Police were seen removing what appeared to be two handguns from the Explorer at the arrest scene. McGonagle said police are examining the contents of the vehicle, which was impounded.
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