Maine police lift shelter-in-place order but still seek suspects in downtown shootout

Simon Druker
·2 min read
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Police in Saco, Maine, lifted a shelter in place order Friday but are continuing to search for four suspects in an apparent shooting involving two vehicles. Photo courtesy of Saco Police Department
Police in Saco, Maine, lifted a shelter in place order Friday but are continuing to search for four suspects in an apparent shooting involving two vehicles. Photo courtesy of Saco Police Department

Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Police have lifted a shelter-in-place order following a street shootout in downtown Saco, Maine, but on Saturday were searching for the suspects involved in the brazen exchange of gunfire.

The suspects in Friday's incident remain at large, the Saco Police Department said in a statement on Facebook.

"The suspects have not been apprehended, and it is still an active police investigation. Please continue to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity related to this situation to the Saco Police Department," the department said.

The shelter-in-place order was issued Friday afternoon and lifted around 8 p.m. EST.

Police have released photos of some of the suspects believed to be involved in what appears to be a dispute between two groups of people in separate vehicles.

Officers responded Friday shortly before noon to a call of shots fired and a subsequent collision in downtown Saco, Maine, where they say four suspects had already left the scene on foot. Photo courtesy of Saco Police Department
Officers responded Friday shortly before noon to a call of shots fired and a subsequent collision in downtown Saco, Maine, where they say four suspects had already left the scene on foot. Photo courtesy of Saco Police Department

Officers responded shortly before noon Friday to a call of shots fired and a subsequent collision in downtown Saco, a coastal city with a population of 20,000 in southeastern Maine, located 17 miles south of Portland.

When police arrived, they located a red Dodge Charger and gray Honda HRV which had collided with each other, with the latter believed to be involved in the shooting.

The force of the collision sent the crossover SUV into a school bus that was stopped at an intersection. No injuries were reported on the bus, which did have students on board at the time.

"Following the collision, four subjects from the suspect vehicle fled on foot. Evidence at the scene indicates that at least one person, wearing all dark clothing, who fled from the crash scene, had been shot in the right arm," police said in the statement.

Officials later found a firearm on the back seat of the Honda.

Photos released by police show three different people. The faces of two are visible while a third is seen wearing a black mask.