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LEWISTON — Police shut down a section of Pine Street near Howard Street at about 6:30 p.m. Thursday night after at least two shots were reported fired in the area.

Some witnesses reported hearing screaming in the area around the same time, although it was not immediately clear it was connected to the shooting.

Police cordoned off an area and officers searched for empty shell casings as their investigation got underway.

At 7 p.m., police said no injuries had been reported, although investigators were still searching the area and speaking to potential witnesses.

Over the summer, police arranged special enforcement details and took other measures to combat a long and consistent spate of gunfire in the downtown residential area of the city. The frequency of reported gunfire slowed in late autumn.

When Lewiston police Chief Carly Conley took over the department late last year, she said inner-city violence, including reports of gunfire, would be a part of her focus going forward.

Police have been using AI technology to assist them in their search for suspects when shootings are reported. By the start of the year, AI-enabled cameras around the city had already helped the department solve three shootings.

The investigation into the Thursday night gunfire was continuing.

Mark LaFlamme is a Sun Journal reporter and weekly columnist. He's been on the nighttime police beat since 1994, which is just grand because he doesn't like getting out of bed before noon. Mark is the...