Lewiston teen identified as victim in mosque shooting
Liban Hassan, 19, of Lewiston was identified as the only victim at Masjidu Salaam Mosque at 243 Bartlett St., according to a Lewiston Police Department Facebook post.
Police responded to the mosque around 9:45 p.m. Friday after reports of gunshots flooded dispatch.
When police arrived, they spoke with a person who was able to confirm a shooting took place in the mosque's parking lot during the congregation's celebration of Ramadan.
"There was not a lot of cooperation from the numerous Mosque members who were attending prayer," according to the post.
Hassan, who received an injury that was not life-threatening, was dropped off at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center around 10 p.m. He was uncooperative with police, the post said, but "all indications suggest he was shot during the shooting incident ..."
Police returned to the scene Saturday morning to search for evidence and discovered more than a dozen shell casings consistent with several caliber weapons. This indicates the incident involved several shooters, the post said.
Hassan's vehicle was later found abandoned with extensive damage from bullet holes. The vehicle was impounded by police and searched after a warrant was granted.
"Hassan has been released from the hospital, and he continues to be uncooperative with police," the post said.
Rilwan Osman, director of Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services, took to the comments to refute the post's claim that people at the mosque were uncooperative with police.
"This is not true," Osman said. "Many people cooperated and answered questions and provided information to the responding officers. It's sad to see Lewiston Maine Police Department saying not a lot of people cooperated with them. Wrong Messages like this is why people don't want to cooperate!"
In response, LPD spokesperson Lt. Derrick St. Laurent said it is difficult to determine whether cooperation is being given when everyone reports that they heard gunshots, but did not see anything and don't know anything about those involved.
"I mean, over 100 people at a Ramadan service and someone is shot outside in the parking lot— somebody's got to know something," he said.
St. Laurent said the lack of cooperation has become an immense issue and is extremely frustrating for officers who put their lives on the line responding to calls for reported shootings.
"We respond to these like it's a mass casualty event," St. Laurent said. "On the way to these, officers are already going through their minds thinking about where they are going and how they can effectively respond. It's emotionally draining."
Police ask for anyone with information to contact the department's anonymous tip line at 1-207-513-3194.
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